We Are Not So Divided Over History Education

Source: New York Times

Despite the passage of legislation in multiple states across the country banning Critical Race Theory (which is not part of any state history curriculum) and the 1619 Project from the classroom, a recently-released report suggests that overall parents are satisfied with what their children are learning.

According to the report:

More parents believe their child’s school is teaching about race and racism, the impact of slavery, and sexuality and gender identity in a way that is consistent with their values than not.

It suggests what many of us have claimed from the beginning. Republicans are stoking the culture wars and dividing Americans for their own political self interest, by claiming that history teachers are encouraging their white students to hate their country and themselves for the injustices of the past.

One of the most common accusations made by Republicans is that school systems and teachers specifically are hiding problematic material from parents. This claim is also undercut by the report.

Three-quarters of parents (76%) say their child’s school does a good job keeping them informed about the curriculum, including potentially controversial topics. No differences exist by party affiliation.

Last week The New York Times published interviews with eleven parents, “to discuss how they think American history and values should be taught in schools today, how issues like race and sexuality should be explored and how parts of our history — including the founding fathers, slavery, the U.S. internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, the gay rights movement — should or should not be discussed in-depth.”

The parents live in different parts of the country, identify as Republican, Democrat, and Independent, and represent different races and genders.

Once again I was struck by the amount of overlap in agreement between these parents. In fact, I would have found it difficult to identify a responder’s political affiliation had that information been hidden. You can read this for yourself, but for now here are a few Republican responses.

Do you have any thoughts or concerns about how your kids get taught about the founding fathers?

Peter, 44, Asian, Oklahoma, Republican

My major concern is that we’re sometimes teaching more of an opinion of what those people were like instead of the facts. There’s a large focus about how the United States has done bad things. And we have. We were prolific in slavery. We supplanted the Native Americans. I think that those facts should be taught so that we know what we’ve done wrong and so that we can do better in the future. I’ve not personally seen this, but I’ve heard that there are individuals who focus solely on the United States being the major catalyst for slavery. They don’t talk about other countries having slavery legalized after the United States banned it. We weren’t the first to start it, and we weren’t the last to have it. I think it needs to be taught as a whole picture in a factual way and not in a perspective that it’s some opinion piece.

Toby, 47, white, Texas, Republican

We were taught to hold the founding fathers at a high standard of morality and values. But I think it’s important that our kids know that our founding fathers weren’t perfect and that they made mistakes. A lot of them are really known to be racist or slave owners themselves. And I think it’s important that our kids know — not putting our forefathers down in the mud but not putting them on such a pedestal.

The next part — someone mentioned this — the U.S. government’s treatment of Native Americans, including wars and massacres and the forced removal of them from their land.

April, 39, white, Minnesota, Republican

We absolutely should know about it. I wish we learned more about some of the different tribes, to honor them for what we did to them. I’m in a place where there’s three tribes around here. Couldn’t tell you where to find them or what they do. I know nothing about them.

How do you juggle facts versus interpretation?

Toby, 47, white, Texas, Republican

I want my kids to know even the bad parts of our history. But with that said, I’m more concerned of how it’s delivered to them. And of course, that lies on the individual school districts or schools or teachers.

April, 39, white, Minnesota, Republican

There should be some of the facts and the dates and things, but I think there should be more of a focus on the people, like the individuals and telling their stories. Let the kids put themselves in that situation so they can develop empathy. And then maybe use all that information and relate it to stuff going on now. Because we’re not far from it in a lot of ways. I know some Chinese people had some issues after Covid because people were going after them. It’s still a very prevalent thing for the people. And so I think it should all just be taught. I mean, you can’t go after a whole group of people for something that happened.

The next topic is Japanese internment. What concerns, if any, do folks have about how this topic is taught in their children’s high school?

Peter, 44, Asian, Oklahoma, Republican

I think it was pretty well brushed over. I remember reading about it in, maybe, a couple of sentences when they talk about World War II history. I think it’s important that we inform them of what happened so we can hopefully avoid similar mistakes in the future. But I also think of how young I must have been when I was learning about World War II history. And do I really want my kids, when they’re 7 or 8 years old, learning about how some Indians might have scalped people and cut their skin off? What’s the right age to teach certain parts of history so that their brain can analyze it and not develop hatred for one type of person or the other?

Another part of history: L.G.B.T.Q. history in America.

Toby, 47, white, Texas, Republican

Sorry, no. I think, with any social events in history or anything social that’s taught, social history that’s taught, there could be a potential negative impact, no matter what it is, because of how it’s delivered to our kids or how it’s taught.

What do you think the negative impact could be?

Toby, 47, white, Texas, Republican

That it’s given in a way that’s more of an opinion or a feeling of the educator, maybe not sticking so much to the facts or the history of it. It doesn’t mean that that teacher’s right or wrong. It just means it could be taken in a way that’s not the best.

April, 39, white, Minnesota, Republican

The only downside I would see — which I don’t think should deter from teaching it — would be, you’re teaching it to kids, some of whom are struggling with their own identity issues, and are they gay? Are they not? Do I feel like a boy? Do I feel like a girl? Those are all very real things that are going on. And so if they’re teaching this in class and then you have their peers making comments, then that would make them maybe close off more. I think it should just be taught with a certain amount of grace. And if any of that happens, there should be consequences for it, to teach that that’s not OK and you can’t do that.

---

I realize that this largely anecdotal evidence, but coupled with the recent report it suggests that the political rhetoric and vitriol does not reflect the reality on the ground.

Even the white, Texas, Republican who expressed concern about the teaching of LGBTQ history was not so much concerned about the subect, but about how it is taught. I don’t see this as an unreasonable response. The subject is likely far afield from what he was taught in high school. Teachers and school districts should be prepared to respond to such concerns.

Unfortunately, none of this really matters if we don’t find a way of responding to the continued demonization of teachers by Republicans. You can’t read the news without hearing about how another teacher has chosen to retire or quit over the pressure and intimidation directed their way.

At the end of another school year we should be thanking our teachers for their hard work. Instead, we are left to wonder how many will be returning to their classrooms in August/September.