WEEK 10
This article was probably one of the best ones for me. It talks about the hidden politics that was and still can be found in most curriculums. There has been a movement to fight against anti-racism for approximately 100+ years. The most significant piece being Brown v Board (1954), this court case leading to the desegregation of schools throughout the US. Yes, it is instrumental however we see little to no work being done to reform people’s belief or the schools that were conditioning students of color to feel inferior to their white counterparts. Zimmerman, a historian who advocates for fighting against prejudice mentions; “I do not say that a change in our anti-negro textbook will kill prejudice, but I am convinced it is a major step in that direction.” (Zimmerman, 2002) This quote is important because it tells us that there were people who knew that the government needed to take steps. The government was putting a treating a huge problem instead of working towards a cure. Our government allowed students of colors in schools where they would be abused, mistreated, and conditioned. When there were people trying to implement more culturally responsive readings. Many people would identify the text as a form of communism. These books would not only help people see the power dynamic but would awaken their conscientiousness. In Alabama, one of the textbooks in their schools included a piece on fair employment practices as well as the efforts to fight racial injustices. The state passed a law that “protected” children from “subversion” that required all textbooks to be screened to prevent promoting “Communism/ fighting for justice”. This makes you think about the education that is provided as well as the limitations that are put on it. Why do we live in a society that would rather “protect” you from living a comfortable life and fighting again the injustices of the world? As well as why mask the efforts to building a more equal society and frame it as communism. This is not the first nor the last time the US has tried to shape something helpful to the majority as something harmful. We have seen this with universal healthcare, labor unions, increase min wage, rent control, universal housing, and so many other debates that has been put under this “umbrella known as communism”. My question now is how do we go about making our students and the future generation more politically awoke? How do we get them thinking critically about the things that are misconstrued on the news and via social media? These are issues we could discuss or write about all day but for the sake of the project, I will conclude my thoughts here.
Thank you very much for your sharing. Through reading this week, I am very happy to see that under the guidance of democracy and the rule of law, civilization and reason prevail. People generally respect and agree with social rules rather than narrow racial sentiments. As a "history textbook", it is bound to be endowed with the function of carrying some mainstream values. In terms of cultural, educational and linguistic strategies, it is of great significance to advocate respecting minorities'educational and linguistic rights, advocating pluralism and tolerance, reforming textbooks and strengthening equal cultural exchanges and exchanges among ethnic groups. As for your question, I think that in today's highly developed way of information dissemination, students have their own understanding, and will not judge communism or capitalism alone as good. Any political system has its advantages and disadvantages. Students will objectively look at this matter through the network and teachers'education.
ReplyDeleteHi Melvin!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I think you raised a good question. Before I come to the United States, I seldom thought about racial issues, and I didn't even think racial issues were necessary. But through this period of learning, I have come to realize that racial issues in the United States do have an impact on society. The students today are inevitably influenced, or even misled by traditional thinking of race. Therefore, as teachers, it is essential to teach students to think critically about racial issues so that they can stay clear. I think the most important thing in practical teaching is to ensure that the knowledge we teach must be unbiased. We should not beautify history, but teach students to face history with an open and inclusive attitude. The racial issue in the United States is fading away, and the younger generation often does not have deep stereotypes, so correct guidance will have a positive impact.
Thank you for your sharing. I know there are many hidden politics in textbooks or some books in the library. I think it is because of the historic problems. I think it will take a long time to let people have a equal thinking of those problems. What we educators do is to tru our best and make an equal environment for ourstudents to live and study together. After one generarion,and after another generation I think they will have an equal attitude towards those problems.
ReplyDeleteThanks for a great post. And I'm glad you referenced Brown v. Board because this specific issue of textbooks goes far beyond that and far beyond curriculum. In a course I took last spring, Sociology of Education, we read about a case that pre-dated Brown v. Board and dealt with the segregation of Mexican Americans in California and the Southwest (Mendez v. Westminster, I think...). The marginalization of Black students is a historic and systemic problem, and there are other groups affected by segregation and racist curriculum as well.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the post. Local control of school curriculum is definitely a double-edged sword. It's more responsive to local priorities, which sounds like a good thing, but in practice often means that the certain parts of history are labeled as "communist" or "inappropriate" and not taught, and that science that is not controversial among scientists but is controversial among the public, like climate change and evolution, don't get taught. This sort of gets at one of the overwhelming feelings I've had as a teacher, which is that it's very hard to change a whole system that suppresses the truth if it's uncomfortable. We have to be mindful of it, and teach in ways that are responsive to the cultures of our schools without glossing over inconvenient truths. Thanks again for the post.
ReplyDeleteHi, Melvin. Thanks for your sharing. The politic of education is a complex problem which is impossible be solved just by one single educator. It requires the efforts from various group in society. In order to make our students and future generation more politically awake and hold critically attitudes towards the pollical message on news and social medias, parents should first give support to allow their kids with access to this kind of topic. Rather than keeping silent when comes to the political topics, parents could share political news with their kids and encourage kids join the political events, like voting, and allow kids have their own attitudes. In school, teachers from different discipline could involve current political events into their class, and give students safe place to express their opinions. Also, the whole society should give young people the rights to speak out their voice in political events.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your blog. I think your question that is raised at the end of the blog is important for educators to consider. First, I agree with the Zimmerman's words you quote that, "I do not say that a change in our anti-negro textbook will kill prejudice, but I am convinced that it is a major step in that direction". I think textbook is an important tool to convey some critical thinking and present true news and views toward some issues that are misconstrued via social media. Second, in my opinion, teachers should create an open classroom setting that can provide students with enough space and opportunities to express their opinions on the issues, which make diverse students' voices aloud and be heard. I believe this will be helpful to develop students' critical thinking. Again, thanks for your sharing.
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ReplyDeleteHi Melvin, thank you for sharing your thoughts. This was my favorite reading too. I'm glad you included the quote “I do not say that a change in our anti-negro textbook will kill prejudice, but I am convinced it is a major step in that direction.” I agree that this is a powerful statement that serves as a call for change in how we teach history but I think that it also is trying hold institutions accountable. I also agree with your statement that more damage is being done when we withhold information. The key to me is to be open and to be thoughtful of the delivery and how we approach these type of subjects responsibly/thoughtfully. I feel like a good step in the right direction is to incorporate diversity in content more regularly and not just during black history month, or hispanic heritage month etc.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated how you addressed that fact that it is our responsibility as an education system to ensure that students have the knowledge and means to interpret, analyze and connect. When providing learners with opportunities and space to learn the materials have to coincide with the vision. Too often our we choosing materials for our students based off of monetary value or convenience rather than whats appropriate. Furthermore, within curriculum design are there opportunities embedded to promote and seek companies and or people that come from diverse backgrounds? We need to go further with moving the needle. This goes beyond just changing the books or curving the perspective. Who truly has a seat at the table?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Firstly, I think racial problems are not the problem
ReplyDeletethat can be solved immediately, but the kind of problem that needs people to try many steps to solve it all the time. What I mean is that government should not stop taking steps. I read an article before that government is actually thinking about cutting the educational funding. This is not a correct step for developing educational system. What government should do is to show people that they are working on it instead of they are going to stop trying. Historical problems no matter what kind can be solve but the matter is how long it gonna take and what people should do about it.