RE-writing AMERICAN HIS-story

Salon Discussion #7

 We are currently witnessing the greatest civics lesson while our government is investigating the American insurrection that occurred following the 2020 presidential election. It is quite extraordinary and almost unbelievable that such an event would even occur on these united shores. Yet – it did happen before the entire world with the state of our democracy blowing in the wind. Using this backdrop of events for our final class salon discussion, we will now review the American compulsory education system and critique its results in indoctrinating our citizenry. Whether our educational curriculum and its methods have been successful is still debated as one looks at the state of our union and the mindset of the people. Former American presidents have understood the value of establishing a compulsory public education system since its inception in the early 1920s with the Smith-Tower bill which led to the establishment of the National Education Association. Funding public schools became the national mandate as ALL children were required to attend united under common curriculums to teach what it means to become an “educated American”. The educational system was not always equal but eventually barriers would be legally broken down in order to create a more “perfect union”.

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Today, we are being challenged to understand how and why Americans continue to debate HIS-torical facts with an attempt to rewrite HIS–story. It is quite obvious that something insidious is being said in broad daylight unfiltered and unhinged. Most understand the importance of controlling the narrative within the compulsory education system. It allows those in POWER to indoctrinate – – whether truthfully or falsely – – future generations. Perhaps this is part of the reason we are facing the greatest existential challenge to democracy since the American revolution in 1776 . The halls of our schools have provided the environment for testing our democratic social experiment by indoctrinating children with the most accurate information available (or so it was believed). Many Americans now know that we’ve been lied to about a lot things taught in our schools. We are now also seeing an assault on facts as those in POWER attempt to suppress trUth in favor of outright lies or misinformation to hide reality.

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Each decade, American public policy makers have refined the compulsory education system and its curriculums to educate a future workforce with the necessary knowledge and skills to function in an increasingly CHANGING world. The blue print for achieving this goal has continued to be a challenge as various political parties disagree about what it means to be “educated “ in this country. Indoctrination is not necessarily a negative thing since it can provide a common framework for its citizenry to understand who they are, its government and our collective role in a democratic society. If we look at current controversies and chasms within our culture, it has become obvious that we have failed to teach the undeniable trUths and realities of democracy and the fragility of this American experiment.

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All of these U.S. states have all enacted legislation to re-write American history, rename American events including slavery or even banned books and other freedoms. 

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Most recently, we have American states trying to censor or outright ban the usage of certain books. In 2020, the American Library Association stated that its Office of Intellectual Freedom reported 273 books were affected by censorship attempts. Many of these books had content that highlighted race, gender and/or sexuality. Several states are also completely cutting funding for books written by authors from specific communities. This policy directly impacts Black and LBTQ+ authors whose subject matter focuses on their experiences and backgrounds. For example, Texas is even trying to ban former first lady Michelle Obama’s biography. WOW! Other states are trying to CHANGE the narrative about past HIS-torical facts calling slavery by different names including “involuntary relocation”. WOW again! Most are fighting against Critical Race Theory (CRT) arguing that it teaches racism versus simply reporting what actually occurred in this country and the long term implications. Our citizenry seems to have no idea or very little understanding about our country’s past mistakes and the contributions of some of our ancestors choosing to see the “other” as not being trUly American. Some argue that discussing trUth will make certain people feel bad. Wtf …WOW! All of these perspectives can not be blamed solely on the educational indoctrination system – – after all – – school districts and boards are made of everyday people. But – – we need to still shine a bright spot light on those in POWER who are attempting to re-write the trUth about us/U.S. It is very scary indeed to admit imperfections but the propaganda being used now could lead to unimaginable tyranny and destruction for values once held as sacred – – life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This is no small matter!!!

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If you have been a reader of my posts, then you know that I usually end on an optimistic note. I am basically a glass half full type person – – after I’ve had t-i-m-e to vent, process and evaluate most controversies. In this case, however, the attempt to suppress information and facts triggers me to my core. Something awful is being said about us/U.S but I know in my bones that there can be HIS-torical reconciliation with full disclosure of trUth. Even Great Britain has expanded its own views to “unveil” what has been HIS-torically known about slavery but not publicly acknowledged in the past by former world colonizers. Today’s political environment has made some things painfully obvious. No one is safe. No one is really free. Our inalienable rights are not untouchable. No democratic society can survive without trUth being spoken! Perhaps everything we are experiencing is a necessary step before the final CHANGES occur to ensure our republic and the survival of democracy. U.S. Delegate Patrick Henry once said “Give me liberty of give me death,” during the second Virginia Convention in 1775 as a battle cry against England’s perceived tyranny towards the early American colonies.  I’m not sure if this is where we are headed but it has definitely gotten real – – 0 to 100. The fight to have access to trUthful information and books within our school curriculums (including in the soft sciences) and to maintain our democratic principles (freedom of speech and expression, free and fair elections, etc.) must not be taken away, suppressed or misrepresented. Recent events have even challenged some of our most sacred assumptions about democracy and the 2020 elections. In spite of all the controversy, however, trUth and jUstice could prevail e-v-e-n-t-u-a-l-l-y as long as WE THE PEOPLE remain resolute to the facts regardless of where they may lead us and irrespective of the chatter bellowing through our respective state flags.

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