Black History Month Arrives As Republicans Censor Education
Black History Month arrives this year with education, American History and voting rights under assault all across the nation.
Republican state legislations across the country, including North Carolina, are pushing to censor teachers from educating students on the truth of our history, introduce anti-voter bills to block our communities’ access to the ballot and dilute voting power through gerrymandered maps.
These same legislators have spent decades inadequately funding public schools, undermining our election officials and introducing harmful measures at the expense of families, educators and students.
- The American Library Association has reported 273 books were affected by censorship attempts in 2020, many with content that highlighted race, gender and sexuality. Between September and the start of this year alone, there have been at least 230 such challenges.
- In addition, 35 states have introduced bills or taken other steps to censor how teachers educate students surrounding issues of race, gender or other topics in the classroom – resulting in 3 in 10 teachers considering leaving the profession at the end of this school year.
Our nation’s history, both the good and bad, have given generations a chance to learn from our mistakes, make sense of the present and prepare for the future.
Yet, Republicans are pushing forth censorship laws that aim to erase movements that sparked change like the Greensboro Four Sit-In, and deny our children the freedom to learn from poets like Maya Angelou, activists like Ella Baker, and big dreamers like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who changed our country for the better.
Bottom Line:
Instead of diminishing Black and Brown voices, Republican lawmakers should be focused on supporting teachers and investing in our public schools to ensure every student receives a quality education that imparts honesty about who we are, integrity in how we treat others, and freedom to pursue our dreams.
As a recent editorial states, “Republicans aren’t erasing America’s racist history; they’re adding to it. History should be unrestricted, freewheeling and available to all. That’s one of its greatest appeals. The past offers painful pilgrimages that are easier to skip. Though no decent person does. These are crucial voyages we all must embark upon and endure because, as difficult journeys often do, they take us to a better place. No law is going to change that”.
In Case You Missed It:
- The Black Wall Street Times: “Carter G. Woodson, “Father” of Black History Month”.
- The Week: “Book banning is back, and it’s targeting Black folks”.
- The Salisbury Post: “Bob Hall: Judging congressional, General Assembly districts fairly”.
- Cardinal & Pine: “Pat McCrory Compared Losing Out on Duke Job to Lunch Counter Segregation”.
