Conservatives hope minorities will forget

A black mother sums up what's behind the Texas move to rewrite textbooks, the Arizona move to curtail ethnic studies, and other race-based incidents in schools.

Racism in Education–Why the Resurgence?

By Kimberly Seals AllersWe send our students to school to learn. And although we, as Black parents, always knew that we couldn’t rely on the schools to teach our children our history, our true history and our complete history, they at least were sure to cover certain parts.

Now our shrinking and incomplete history is becoming even more invisible. And our children, our needs and our viewpoints are sure to follow. The message in Texas and Arizona is clear–our history is an unwelcome intrusion to the “real” American history, one that shows America as flawless. They don’t want us to have any reason to wallow in our oppression, because that would be un-American.And:What’s really sad is that these disturbing trends, especially on the legislative and state level, come at a time when a Black man sits as president. I have often said that Black power is more feared than Black people, and we are now seeing the response to their fear of Blacks and other people of color gaining more power. Their fear of us gaining more knowledge. Their fear of our children having knowledge (= power) and a true understanding for who we are.

The most insulting part, and I’m speaking directly to the Texas and Arizona messes here, is that do they really think that if they “rewrite” history or cut ethnic studies classes, we won’t teach our children our true history? Do they think we are so stupid that we will actually forget the Civil Rights Movement? The answer is yes. And that’s what really gets me.Comment:  For more on education, see Mentioning Racism = Dwelling on Past? and Ethnic History Corrects American History. For more on the conservative mindset, see Conservatives Take Pride in Ignorance and Conservative Worldview = Fear of Cooties.

Below:  A happier time for most conservatives, when nobody talked or taught about race. When blacks and whites lived in harmony without all the "political correctness" and "victimization politics" that are destroying America today. When things were so good that people literally sang and danced with joy.