Racial Discrimination and Representation inside Education
By: Leo Ellis
When did the problem begin?
The problem began at the first documented american history textbook, Early American History by Noah Webster. It was introduced in 1841, which was predominantly used for assistance in religious learning. The textbook includes many facts from the Bible which Webster claims is factual. As well as a narrow list of races which he lists off and explains as the “Lapland Race, Tartars, Hindus, Negroes, Europeans and Natives of America”. Many of his chapters are very biased, while some are even patriotic.
TW: Lynching
How has it changed over time?
Although an endless amount of history was added to our textbooks, many still hold subtleties of white washed american history. For example Lynching. In this textbook called The Americans, they claimed lynching lasted for a short amount of time. They said, “Between 1882 and 1892”, although lynching is and has been happening even until now. With one blatant example being Ahmaud Arbery which happened in 2020. Not only African Americans are lynched as well, there are also Latinx people, Muslims, Jewish people and Asian people.
What are the causes of the problem?
A major cause of this problem is the education system trying to instill patriotism in children. This can be shown by the presence of an American flag hanging in every classroom and students being encouraged to recite the pledge of allegiance every morning. Some may combine nationalism with education. In my opinion, they should be separate. You can have love for your country and know about it’s past. Many are afraid if people do know, they won’t. This is still shown to this day by what some states teach about slavery and the Civil War. For example the Wyoming Social Studies Content and Performance Standards do not even include the word “slavery”. The closest they get is one mention of the phrase “Civil War”.
What impact does it have on communities?
The impact is the sudden rise in hate groups. Children of color may also not know their history. It’s fundamental to society’s progression for proper education to be given to the youth. Hiding real history is promoting a false sense of security to children of color and letting other’s not recognize their priviledge to learn about racial discrimination then experience it for themselves.
Yes Ignorance is a curse.
What actions have other groups done to address this issue?
What has or hasn’t worked?
There have been no prominent group that have done anything to address this issue. If anything there have just been articles speaking of the issue and finding contradictions in textbooks. But so far, I have found no group tackling the issue at hand. However we have CRT being implemented in college and university classes.
So far we have had discussions on CRT, however it has become a black and white issue. Many parents believe their children shouldn’t learn history correctly because they’re not ready or because it could be “indoctrination”. However, why can’t we have students choose for themselves?
Assessment of racial discrimination and representaion in education
This very important problem is something that should be a bigger issue in this nation and in the education system. Many hate groups are getting bigger because of false history. I understand patriotism is good to a degree but it can also severely affect other races. Hatred is one of the biggest issues in the world and being uneducated contributes to that issue. The younger generations are our future, figuratively and literally. So why not progress through them?
Is this a topic that we should pursue?
Yes. One hundred percent. Not recognizing misinforming our generation is one of the worst things we can do as people. America is diverse for a reason, and we need to know why and how we’re here. Misinformation is dangerous and could either cause hate, or ignorance. Recognizing history is the best to have us move on as a society.
Tw: Shooting
Recent shooting in Buffalo
On May 15th, 2022 Payton S. Gendron a 18 year old gunman influenced by a white supremacist ideology known as replacement theory, opened fire at a supermarket, TOPS in Buffalo. Purposefully shooting and killing 10 people and injuring three more, almost all of them Black, in one of the deadliest race influenced massacres in recent American history. Apparently in his manifesto, getting most of his ideology from 4Chan, he became radical based off of misinformation.
How does this affect students well being?
Thesis
Many students are taught history because it’s mandatory credit, Holliston is lucky a very progressive school that teaches education in an open and truthful way. However, some schools are not teaching in the best way. It could affect students of color’s mental health just as much as students that happen to not be a POC. It’s become a hot button issue when in reality, it shouldn’t be. Students of appropriate age deserve to know where America really came from.
Youtube videos:
Ted Talk, David Ikard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb04xj7LS34&list=LLfl5vMAVRiKeqswHJ_tHTOg&index=146
Whitewashed Egyptian History:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHKBBH_EpVE
Ted Talk, Jonathan Sri
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHuvxdYfPyo&list=PLYk6REB_QWAz9Bix7WaQRptFrT-p01Y_T&index=18&t=0s
Citations
McGuckin, Maryanne, et al. "Patient education model for increasing handwashing compliance." American journal of infection control 27.4 (1999): 309-314.
Janu, Bruce. Race and the Whitewashing of History in Our Textbooks. 6 June 2020, medium.com/@bdjanu/race-and-the-whitewashing-of-history-in-our-textbooks-501a15ddb181.
Galeano, Lucia, et al. “The Whitewashed Educational Curriculum Of America.” The Reporter: The Student Newspaper at Miami Dade College, 3 July 2020, www.mdcthereporter.com/the-whitewashed-educational-curriculum-of-america/.
Lindley, Robin. “Textbooks and History Standards: An Historical Overview.” History News Network, historynewsnetwork.org/article/130766.
“Noah Webster's Early American History.” Google Books, Google, www.google.com/books/edition/Noah_Webster_s_Early_American_History/_VTiekTPin4C?hl=en.
Jericka Duncan, Christopher Zawistowski and Shannon Luibrand. “50 States, 50 Different Ways of Teaching America's Past.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 19 Feb. 2020, www.cbsnews.com/news/us-history-how-teaching-americas-past-varies-across-the-country/.
Walker, Tim. “First Thing: Whitewashing US History with 'Patriotic Education'.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 18 Sept. 2020, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/18/first-thing-whitewashing-us-history-with-patriotic-education.