Students suffer due to censorship

Education is the building block to anyone’s success and it is being threatened. Conversations have been limited and the idea of free speech is becoming a lesson in the history books. Limiting a student’s exposure to different opinions and experiences robs them from diversity and learning how to make decisions for themselves. Students aren’t the only victims, teachers should not have to fear speaking their mind and correctly teach children. It’s a teacher’s duty to engage with their students and ensure that they learn and grow into valuable members of society.

Texas’ House bill 3979 is a prime example of the dangers of classroom censorship. The problem with limiting teachers from correctly discussing the past events that have shaped the world of today is that it hides truths of some of the country’s dark moments. A whitewashed history robs students from discussion about this country’s racism, sexism, and long history of discrimination. The bill argues that talking about racism is racist so preventing children from learning the long history of racism will end discrimination world wide. Such a simplistic form of thinking. It is almost like they are ashamed of the past and want to cover it up. Failure to teach children of the mistakes made in the past limits their growth and only serves to harm them. Without learning the history of mistakes they are more likely to commit similar mistakes since they never learned the lessons that came out of them. It is also inconsiderate to the people that suffered and continue to suffer because of the long lasting effects of discrimination in this country.

Despite the nature of the past when it comes to race and discrimination it is important for students and children to learn the pain and suffering that people of color went through. It allows students to be more accepting and understanding as well as teaches them empathy.

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56 thoughts on “Students suffer due to censorship

  1. The Texas bill example is just ridiculous. How dare they try to not talk about racism with the excuse of it potentially making the children racist. If anything, it would increase their compassion for one another, regardless of their skin tone, because they would learn about how past events affect their peers in current time.
    wholeheartedly agree with the author of this article, in that censoring our history will only make us more likely to commit the same mistakes again.
    I never agreed with the idea of censorship in general because I think everyone, including children, should know about the horrible things that happen everywhere. Adults fear that it would traumatize children, and while that may be true, it is important that they don’t think life is all butterflies and candy.
    We never know what would happen in the future, be it another mass shooting or a divorce between parents, but everyone should be prepared for them and learn how to react in a safe and healthy way.

  2. I agree that students need to learn history for what it is, and not the censored version. Censoring those teachings only hinders the students ability to learn from past mistakes in effort to not repeat them again for the future generations. Aside from that, learning about how certain populations suffered throughout history, can help promote empathy and understanding at a young age.

  3. The idea of erasing racism in history from education and propaganda may seem tempting to many, but it seems to me that it would only be fair that people who have suffered from racism are given the chance to decide whether such contents should be remained. What is seems like now is an overutilization of censorship and a disregard to the sufferings of many people.

  4. Censorship in America is a controversial topic in the present day social climate. Recently, there has been the push to fact check and censor content that some people may disagree with. The intention to only allow for one sided information has created a high polarized political environment that does not encourage free thinking. People are judged for having differing opinions. This in the school setting is harmful for the development of the youth. In censoring information children do not get a honest recollection of history and are not taught to have an opinion that is sincerely their own.

  5. The images above depict how upset society is that kids are being robbed from the truth. The author is right, we do learn a whitewashed version of history, a history that highlights all the “positive” without discussing the negative things that occurred and the negative effects that still impact people to this day. It’s not fair that we are learning what the government basically wants us to know. There is so much information I’ve learned in my Ethnic Studies classes in college that I had no previous knowledge about before. I was shocked. By not mentioning these negative occurrences, we erase the experiences and pain of others and make our society susceptible to letting it occur again.

  6. The Texas bill example is just ridiculous. How dare they try to not talk about racism with the excuse of it potentially making the children racist. If anything, it would increase their compassion for one another, regardless of their skin tone, because they would learn about how past events affect their peers in current time.
    I wholeheartedly agree with the author of this article, in that censoring our history will only make us more likely to commit the same mistakes again.
    I never agreed with the idea of censorship in general because I think everyone, including children, should know about the horrible things that happen everywhere. Adults fear that it would traumatize children, and while that may be true, it is important that they don’t think life is all butterflies and candy. We never know what would happen in the future, be it another mass shooting or a divorce between parents, but everyone should be prepared for them and learn how to react in a safe and healthy way.

  7. It is important for society to engage in open conversations in order to create more discussions and progression. The notion that certain ideas are too perilous to explore is the only truly dangerous concept. Throughout history, equal rights and scientific advancements were once deemed as threats to societal morals. However, we now recognize them as profoundly beneficial ideas that have positively impacted humanity. Censorship, on the other hand, represents a hazardous form of control that can result in the propagation of false narratives, including distorted historical accounts. Ideas are inherently subjective, and the foundation of a free society rests on the ability of its members to openly discuss and exchange those ideas.

  8. Censorship causes children to become oblivious to the country’s history. Stopping children from reading some of the books depicting racism, colonization of native american land, etc. keeps children from understanding what this country was truly built on. Today, people want to erase and ignore the racist and violent past of the United States, but as some have often heard, if you do not learn the history then it is bound to repeat itself. The more people try to ban these books depicting the truth of the history of this country, the more oblivious and naive these children will grow up to become unaware of the struggles many had to face to get to where we are today. It is so important to discuss these topics in school because it teaches people the nature of racism and violence and how it negatively impacted so many lives throughout the course of history.

  9. I believe that censorship in the classroom harms students more than helps them. We are preventing students from learning about history and being able to have certain critical conversations that should be had. I think censorship prevents us from having open discussion and being able to grow and think critically. Censorship stops us from being able to learn from previous mistakes and making changes. Why do we want to hide what’s happened and make room for the same things to happens again?

  10. I think censorship is one of the worst things a country’s government can do to its people because it violates freedom of speech. People have a right to say what they want to say, and they also have a right to read and see everything that people have said or written. This image shows just how angry college students are about this phenomenon, and I am one of them.

  11. This image shows the anger our generation feels towards groups of politicians who do not have our best interests in mind. Censoring our history is an incredibly disappointing thing to have happen in the modern age. It creates a new generation of young adults who are not open to discussing nor aware of the issues currently facing our country. By hiding our ugly history, especially on topics like race, we ensure that these conversations will not be had in the future.

  12. It is incredibly sad to see an increase in censorship in the United States. Learning our country’s history is what ensures we do not repeat it. If we limit our teachings of this country’s ugly history, we create a new generation of young adults with non-inclusive mindsets and a narrow understanding of our country’s current conflicts over race and other things. This image shows the anger our generation feels toward groups of politicians that do not have our best interests in mind.

  13. I do not think any history should be excluded from the book in the name of censorship. It is not only about the knowledge itself but more about the master narrative, who is telling the story. It is essential for students to know there are different perspectives from people with different positionality instead of only focusing on the Eurocentric point of view. However, I do think the material teacher plan to teach students should be monitored. Ideologies can easily influence kids. It’s necessary for teachers to guide them when discussing some ugly part of our history.

  14. I believe that we are not able to truthfully learn about history if we censor the mistakes made in the past. In doing this, it does not allow students to learn our real and raw history. It is important to learn about the mistakes made in the past to ensure those mistakes do not happen again. If students are not learning the truth then what will prevent past issues to arise again? I really liked what someone stated in another comment, “Censoring history does not protect children, it protects the American image.” This statement is so powerful and true, they are concerned about protecting the American image rather than showing and teaching the flaws. I do not see any benefit in censoring our history and I find it humiliating that they think that it is necessary to do so.

  15. I completely agree with the author’s take on censorship in classrooms. It just shouldn’t be allowed simply because some people are embarrassed of America’s racist history. I mean the country itself was built on slavery and it should never be forgotten. I can’t believe the Texas House Bill 3979 is even a real thing and the excuse for this bill is pathetic (“racism is racist”) LMAO. Being exposed to this information allows children to discover different perspectives and grow as a human being as well as the human race to progress. If anything, the root of this censorship of information in the classrooms is racism.

  16. As the author stated, the idea behind this bill is incredibly simple minded as it just seems like an excuse to pass the bill. The bill is threatening the space in a classrooms where conversations regarding racism and the history of discrimination are essential to developing an accurate portrayal of history. Instead of not talking about racism to end racism, I believe that by recognizing the fact that these events occurred it may allow for students to recognize the issues and not repeat the mistakes from the past.

  17. I think that censorship of education definitely will only do more harm than good. Then the reasoning behind not talking about racism is also very simplistic and just shows how they are very uneducated themselves on the impact that racism has had on people of color. We definitely need to teach people about the good and the bad side of the history of the U.S., because then we are just essentially brainwashing the youth into believing that this country is perfect with no blemishes, when that is not true at all. The youth are the future and the more educated they are about this countries history, the better prepared they will be at tackling the problems this country faces, and actually coming closer to finding real solutions to the problems that plague this country. It also just goes against the first amendment, and how this country is built on free speech and being allowed to speak one’s mine.

  18. Censorship is always difficult to talk about as though there are potential merits for covering up things, you’re always robbing someone of the perfect truth when you choose to censor. History is important to learn so that we can learn from the mistakes of our forebears and do better and is honestly something that does not need censorship. For a bill like that to have any real effect on ending discrimination, it would take centuries upon centuries of sheltering the youth and censoring everything and that just doesn’t seem like a realistic approach to end discrimination.

  19. Current students are the next generation of decision makers; the next generation of judges, lawyers, politicians, teachers, and parents. By censoring what they are being taught in school, the current generation of judges, lawyers, politicians, etc. are preparing them to continue this ignorant mindset when they become the ones making the important decisions. Like passing down a family heirloom, Texas politicians are trying to pass down their views of the world instead of letting students develop their own views while considering the true history of the US. By not teaching the true history, we are doomed to repeat it and maybe that is what Texas politicians are trying to do here.

  20. The proprietary goal of education is to provide others with a complete and well-rounded understanding of a given topic with the hope that they convey the critical thinking skills necessary to apply and learn from the information they’ve been taught. The construct of censorship in education is such a destructive entity because it serves to shield a group from something that exists in their reality. With specific consideration to subjects like history, I think it’s so damaging to relay a false narrative like American literature typically does with respect to discussions about America’s role in discrimination and oppression, including slavery and racism. Without providing youth with the full context of what happened, social progress will continue to be a difficult goal to achieve.

  21. I agree that the censorship of uncomfortable and racist historical events is a naive way of thinking, and becoming less educated on the matter isn’t going to make racism go away. In fact, it may even make it more prevalent if we don’t learn our history, as it’s bound to repeat itself. I agree that teachers shouldn’t have to be worried they’re going to get fired for the curriculum they teach – the reason we know racism is bad today is because we’ve learned from our history.

  22. It is deeply disheartening and terrifying to hear about the growing level of censorship in the American school systems. From preventing learning about racism and sexism, to not being able to say the word “gay”, to banning stories by and about transgender authors, censorship has grown tremendously over the last decade. It mainly affects the freedom to tell the stories of systematically oppressed minorities, and by doing this, it almost erases the oppression in the eyes of young students which could lead to invalidation of this blatant oppression in the future. It attempts to silence the immense horrors that have been cause to these groups on American soil, by American people, does not do the justice that these people deserve. As a country, we should not be cowards hiding from our past, instead we should be held accountable for our past. These histories should be mandatory to teach, not ignored.

  23. As someone who values education and has a personal connection to the topic, I understand the importance of open discussions and free expression in the classroom. Like you, I am genuinely concerned for students’ well-being and intellectual growth, including my younger sister. It troubles me to see how censorship in education limits students’ exposure to different perspectives and stifles their ability to think critically and make informed decisions. In particular, the example of Texas’ House Bill 3979 hits close to home for me. I believe that students should be able to learn about the full spectrum of historical events, even the uncomfortable ones. By censoring discussions about racism, sexism, and discrimination, we deny students the chance to understand the struggles that people have endured and continue to face. I firmly believe that teachers should not be afraid to express their thoughts and engage with students in meaningful discussions. By nurturing an environment of open dialogue, we give students both the voice an power, including my younger sister, to become well-rounded individuals who can contribute positively to society.

  24. Censorship deeply threatens the access to education that the younger generations will need to become mindful citizens in today’s increasingly diverse communities. Failing to properly teach the U.S.’s ugly history in the classroom disrupts the progress that this country has slowly been making toward becoming more accepting and understanding of people of different, backgrounds, races, ethnicities, religions, etc. On the same note, censorship can actually reverse this progress in the way that students not receiving a proper education of the country’s history can become more narrow-minded and less understanding of people who don’t share the same values or even skin color. To add on, censorship can result in pushing a certain, inaccurate narrative of this country that may become widely accepted over time, resulting in a higher likelihood to repeat the mistakes of our past.

  25. Education is indeed the foundation for personal and societal success, and it is disheartening to see threats to open dialogue and free speech within educational systems. Limiting conversations and exposure to diverse opinions not only hinders students’ ability to learn and make informed decisions but also deprives them of the opportunity to appreciate the richness and complexities of the world around them. I think that allowing teachers to speak their minds and engage with students brings about meaningful discussions. One of their main roles is to guide students in their learning journey and help them develop critical thinking skills necessary to become valuable members of society. By silencing teachers, we hinder their ability to provide a well-rounded education and empower students to think for themselves. Teaching students about the painful history of racism and discrimination is essential for fostering empathy, understanding, and acceptance. By learning about the suffering endured by marginalized communities, students can develop a sense of compassion and work towards creating a more inclusive society. Shielding them from these realities does a disservice to both their personal growth and the collective progress of our society. By not acknowledging and learning from the mistakes of the past, this is only creating a space to repeat them.

  26. I truly believe that history is what allows us to understand one another better. To ignore history is to choose ignorance. By learning about history from multiple perspectives, it will help individuals develop a well-rounded understanding of the world. Texas’ state government putting restrictions on what history should be taught in class is unjustified. There is nothing to hide.

  27. Censorship is something to not stray away from in regards to how it has been impacting students and raising concerns about their freedom of expression. Obviously it is important to consider the balance between protecting students and preserving their freedom of thought but it’s another thing to take away from he or she learning of historical moments of history. How are students going to be able to learn from the past if they are not given access to it within educational systems.

  28. Ignoring the problem of racism within the classroom by passing laws about censorship in the classroom as the country is built upon discrimination and racism can only emphasize and rotate the problem of racism in this country. Children in this country have the right to understand the brutal history of the United States. We should not ignore this problem of racism by censorship, instead that I believe children should be color-conscious and learn how to think critically about issues existed in the US. Therefore, future generations can build a better world, knowing those histories.

  29. Censorship if history does not do anyone any good. By preventing the education of people on the beginnings of the nation, it hinders one understanding of not only their own position in the country but of the position of others. To understand the past is to be understanding of others in the present.

  30. Learning about the history of the country and how our country has come out of the racism era is important for building a solitary community of citizens who value diversity and differences. Classroom censorship is not the right way for ending racism and discrimination. Hiding the racist past of this country can even have a more diverse effect on future generations and social justice (e.g. racial segregation). Teaching the young generation about the racial history of the country within an educational setting is better than leaving these kids to learn it through other uncensored media which can present this in a misleading way. In my opinion, censorship in school should be modified in a way that makes sure that the history of racism is presented and taught in an honest and transparent way instead of preventing teachers from speaking out about this. The young generation needs to learn about past mistakes in order to avoid repeating them in the future.

  31. Censorship poses a significant threat to students’ intellectual growth and personal development. The absence of free expression hampers their ability to explore new ideas, challenge prevailing beliefs, and form independent opinions. Moreover, students suffer psychologically when their freedom of expression is curtailed. The suppression of their voices can lead to self-censorship, fear of sharing unique perspectives, and a reluctance to engage in open discussions. This stifles their individuality, fosters conformity, and limits their potential for personal growth. It is crucial to foster an environment that upholds freedom of expression and encourages students to be active participants in shaping their own intellectual journeys.

  32. In every history class i’ve taken, we’re told that the purpose of learning history is to learn from the mistakes so that similar events won’t happen again. Keeping the dark but true history kept away from students is an absolute disservice to them as they are only allowing ignorance to be passed down. Almost as if that is their true purpose of allowing censorship in the class.

  33. This post really highlights the importance of education and the potential threats it faces, particularly concerning limitations on free speech and its impact on students and teachers. Discussing the past, including dark moments and discrimination, is vital for students’ growth and understanding. By learning about the pain and suffering endured by marginalized communities, students can develop empathy and become more accepting individuals.

  34. I agree with the post that censorship in the classroom and school in general has sort of got out of hand. Free speech is an important ideal that must be upheld. However, I can also understand that teachers and academics have immense influence over students, especially at a younger age. Due to this, we must be at least a little careful of what children are exposed to in the classroom.

  35. I think the censorship of topics like slavery in classrooms is wrong. In school I remember being taught about all kinds of oppression against all races, whether it was the Holocaust in Germany, Japanese internment camps, etc…I think the history our country should be taught in all aspects even if white people feel uncomfortable. Black students live with the reality that their ancestors were enslaved and don’t have a choice to just “avoid” racism.

  36. Censorship of this history stems from shame and embarrassment, and for good reason. The history of racism and discrimination in this country IS shameful. However, in order for us to move on and move forward, this history must be taught to each generation to come. Hiding it will only serve to perpetuate the mistakes that were made in the past. Not teaching them valuable lessons about morality, equality, and respect, does children a disservice. Censoring actual events of the past inhibits them from growing into mindful and empathetic citizens.

  37. Censoring history does not protect children, it protects the American image. This in turn brings the same issues as the idea of not seeing color. By not seeing color, and by not knowing the true history of our country we can not recognize how race, gender, religion, or sexual identities affect individuals in their daily lives. Our history of discrimination has a domino effect that impacts the quality of life for people decades later and without acknowledging that we can not account for it

  38. I fully agree with the following sentiment: “It is almost like they are ashamed of the past and want to cover it up.”

    Along those lines, it becomes increasingly difficult to defend their actions, when the full history/context has been provided. It’s disheartening to see so many states adopting this strategy & I get a sinking feeling in my stomach thinking about how this will play out long term if it’s allowed to continue.

  39. I completely agree. The thinking behind the Texas bill is so simple-minded it almost seems like an excuse to pass the bill. I can’t believe there are people today that actually think like that. We need to learn about the past in it’s whole form and with the truth in mind to be able to learn from the past and not make the same mistakes. I think the minds behind this bill haven’t learned history in the right way so they think this is the way society will move forward, but this is completely wrong.

  40. Reading this post made me a little emotional. I think almost everyone has heard the phrase “If we don’t teach history it is bound to repeat itself”. Racism is not just about the color of a person’s skin, it stems from different cultures and places of birth. Almost every war that has occurred centers in some way around a type of racism. This is apparent if you look back in time at the Holocaust or even at current events like what is occurring in Ukraine today. These discriminations had nothing to do with skin or hair colors yet they are 100% considered Rasim. To eliminate racism from a curriculum would mean not teaching about almost all the major horrible events in history. If children do not learn about these events and what caused them they are without a doubt going to happen again.

  41. The essence of censorship should be to conceal the phenomena that may exist in a part of society in order to prevent negative psychological and spiritual effects on minors. But censoring historical events only hampers students’ cognitive development, serving only to hide harsh truths in the name of protection, in an attempt to cover up shame and fault.

  42. It’s ridiculous to expect children to learn about the world without exposing them to the world. The argument made in the Texas bill is about as ignorant as it gets; if a child never accidentally burns themself on the stove, how will they learn that the stove is dangerous to touch? We cannot expect anyone to understand how something is wrong if they’ve never witnessed it or learned about its harm. Learning about discrimination, prejudice, racism, sexism, xenophobia, etc. is crucial to learning empathy and gaining social intelligence. Understanding that these things occurred actually does the opposite of what the Texas bill is stating; it helps children identify the problem and figure out how not to repeat historical mistakes.

  43. Sometimes, or maybe I should say most of the times, education is not only about knowledge, but about ideology as well. Every ideology influences education in a way that best maintains its consistency. This is extremely significant in Asian cultures like China and Japan. Although I am not supportive to this censorship, I cannot picture how we could fully discard it, for it would certainly cause chaos on what values we hold as a society.

  44. The censorship of information from books and such seems to be unreasonable because of how it does stop individuals from receiving information and seeing the mistakes of America. I feel as it is important to understand the mistakes made in the past no matter how dark in order to learn from it to prevent the same mistake from happening twice. For teaching however, I can see both perspectives because I believe teachers should be there to be a middle ground of information and not influence individuals to believe in a certain way. However, I do agree that professors should be able to share information they believe is important. Overall though, I believe more in the former because of how teachers are there to educate students about the good and the bad and have students make their beliefs from there.

  45. This article eloquently highlights the critical importance of education in fostering well-rounded individuals and addressing the dangers of limiting free speech and diverse perspectives in classrooms. It sheds light on the potential harm caused by bills like Texas’ House bill 3979, which restrict discussions on past injustices and hinder students’ understanding of history and its consequences. It is very important that we empower teachers to engage with their students and provide an education that helps to promote empathy, acceptance, and a deeper understanding of our society

  46. Censorship continues to become an issue in the modern era. Beyond the classroom, one common source of censorship that is frequently overlooked is that related to the prevalence of streaming services and a transition to more digital reserves of information. With a transition away from physical copies of various media, consumers lend themselves to the will of streaming services as to what media is accessible at a given time. For instance, if a streaming service disagrees with an artist’s views or cannot come to certain contractual agreements with them, consumers who solely use streaming services would have no access to that artist’s music. The more such services are relied on, the more control streaming services and similar entities have with regards to censorship and consumers.

  47. Censorship continues to become an issue in the modern era. Beyond the classroom, one common source of censorship that is often overlooked is that related to the prevalence of streaming services and a transition to more digital reserves of information. With a transition away from physical copies of various media, consumers lend themselves to the will of streaming services as to what media is accessible at a given time. For instance, if a streaming service disagrees with an artist’s views or cannot come to certain contractual agreements with them, consumers who solely use streaming services would have no access to that artist’s music. The more such services are relied on, the more control streaming services and similar entities have with regards to censorship and consumers.

  48. What a great read, the subject of censorship is an incredibly interesting debate. While there can be a place and time for certain material, I agree that the classroom is a place for learning and facing uncomfortable truths, especially in university environments. I agree with the author that it’s important we don’t rob students of accurate portrayals and discussions of history in order to build truthful understanding.

  49. This is interesting. I agree that everyone must have the chance to learn history from every perspective possible. We cannot erase or change the things that have happened. I also believe that we need to stop censoring everything in campus settings. Something painful must be taught so that younger generations can learn from it. Free speech, whether left or right, is always important, and learning about everything to learn from it is always a good thing as long as we can take the positive things out of it.

  50. The education system has indeed been heavily constructed to only teach students about certain parts of history and only from the voices of one or very few sources despite the history of humanity being diverse in how several races dealt with their hardships. I like how Cheang mentions this “whitewashed history” because it holds to how many parts of history, especially the ones that make Americans look bad, are skipped over or biased in the retelling. This is damaging to the student since it could also build a bias on their part that supports the idea the schools might be placed on them, hiding the truth about our ancestors as well as who our ancestors interacted with and affected others can be damaging. In the long run, history is taught so we don’t repeat our mistakes of the past, censorship would only make this more likely

  51. I agree with the author. How are we expected to learn from our history if we simply just erase all past mistakes? Students deserve the opportunity to learn all parts of our country’s past; the good, the bad and the ugly.

  52. I find that people generally agree that all information should be free to the world, and that we should experience a large amount of viewpoints, but more often than not, people are unwilling to apply this principle in regards to viewpoints that they don’t agree with. It is a fine line that we have to tread, especially in regards to childrens’ education – it’s easy to say that we should never prohibit any information in the classroom, but are we prepared for teachers to be able to teach ANYTHING they want?

  53. I agree that excluding important historical events and issues can pose a huge problem to the validity of our history. It can orient a society towards one race/religion/ethnicity, which can help create discrimination and prejudices between students. While free speech can be used to create some dangers in society (by inciting conflict), it is important for various people to be able to voice their opinions and share their very valuable ideas. Without free speech, our society would be in danger of the majority dictating what people believe. Not to mention, it could also cease positive changes in our society by narrowing the scope of a persons diversity, and imagination.

  54. Open conversation is exactly the way social progress is made. The only dangerous idea in fact is that some ideas are too dangerous to be explored. Equal rights and scientific progress at times were considered dangerous to the moral fiber of society and yet we find that these have been two of the most universally beneficial ideas that people have had in recent human history. Censorship is a dangerous form of control that if left unchecked can lead the average person to be a victim of false narratives such as inaccurate history. Ideas are in their nature subjective and the very grounds of a free public depend on the ability of said public to discuss those very ideas.

  55. The topic of censorship is both historically important and incredibly relevant in our world today. As mentioned in this post, we see hardened impositions on free speech being enforced all around the world, with Florida lately having been at the very front of this movement in the US. I completely agree this this is an extremely concerning development. We have seen how leaders have tried to limit free speech in the past, and we have seen the negative effects that this can have on a society. It discourages people to speak openly about injustice, it breeds ignorance and robs individuals not only of their freedom, but of the ability to be how they want. By not teaching students about the “bad” parts of history, we are not erasing these events, but rather ensuring that they will be repeated. The ideas created from the ignorance which for long was so very prevalent in our history, such as racism or anti-Semitism, are still present in our society and we can be sure that these students will not be spared from hearing them. By not discussing them in school, they only thing they risk missing is learning why they are wrong and bad.

  56. I agree that purposefully excluding a major aspect of our history will lead to incredibly narrow minded thinking. Having only a single point of view being taught is how racism began because people refused to acknowledge other views, and this type of education would exacerbate the issue. Besides this, it is important that students receive an accurate teaching of our history, even if it was not pleasant or forces the US to acknowledge that there are many flaws in our country.

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