Opinion: What's really lost when schools only make Black History Month lessons optional

NBC News / Comcast ^ | February 28, 2022 | By David A. Love

[Oldeconomybuyer]

As we come to the end of Black History Month, we should remember that the war on Black history has reached new heights in America. At the start of the month, a Montessori school in North Ogden, Utah, sent a letter to parents allowing them to opt out of having their children participate in Black history lessons. The school later backtracked on the plan after receiving backlash. Then came news that a counselor in Brown County, Indiana, had sent a memo to parents with a similar message. The superintendent for Brown County Schools said that the letter was “unauthorized” and called it erroneous.

It should be noted that Brown County, Indiana, is 96.8 percent white, and North Ogden, Utah, is 94.2 percent white.

Despite the walking back of these policies, they are still evidence of the attempts to erase Black people from society and damage the psyches of children. They come after months of states enacting laws against critical race theory and the 1619 Project, “anti-woke” laws that allow parents to sue schools for curricula that purportedly cause white discomfort and tear-shedding, and green-light the banning of books on race, sexuality and the Holocaust.

The fight to ban or allow students to opt-out of learning about Black history reflects a greater effort by conservatives and white supremacists to eliminate public education and academic freedom and kill a fragile multiracial democracy that never had time to grow.

Meanwhile, how can kids expect to figure out the world and solve its problems when they are clueless about what is happening now and have no knowledge of the past? Giving parents the option to whitewash the history their children learn is insidious. We should not have to discuss this in the 21st century, and yet here we are.

[ealgeone]

there is no bhm in homeschool.

[Texas_Guy]

We’re losing nothing. The whole thing has become a big hate whitey fest.

[Pxzftrnqfrn]

Erase Black people from society?

Have they watched a TV commercial lately?
Listened to music?
Watched a movie?

[max americana]

all these stupid liberal white guilt woke wimps can learn about black history month by travelling the “Blue” line from Union Station to Long Beach in L.A. say, past 6 PM..

[ClearCase_guy]

the war on Black history

Yeah. I stopped there.

Honestly, I think black history month should last about 2 or 3 days. After that, you sort of run out of things to say.

[dfwgator]

Watched an NFL or NBA Game?

[Frank Drebin]

And what are they doing if not "Blackwashing" history? How about we just teach actual history and leave off the damned color and social engineering BRAINwashing. Parents should be in complete control of what their children learn. Period.

[Da Coyote]

Bull Fauci.

[EvilCapitalist]

The Bernie Goetz method?

[max americana]

exactly. Why is there no White History Month? And I dont know what these leftards are bitching about because they’re FAVORITE month is coming up which is FAGGOT or gay pride month..

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Nothing.

[max americana]

ghetto animals on display. You can have a youtube channel dedicated to this jungle activities as it passes by Compton and Rosa Parks station. I’ve encountered it many years ago when my car was in the shop..

[eyeamok]

Let me know when Black History Month teaches about Bull Connor, George Wallace, Jim Crow Laws, the KKK and the Demonrat Party that CREATED ALL OF IT.

Until Then I am doing my part to make sure none of my White Privilege of running a business, employing people, working 80 hours a week, staying married and actually Raising my Children, buying Houses and being Financially Independent, rubs off on any Black Person by HAVING NO CONTACT of any kind with them. Nobody can Blame me

[SkyDancer]

Why do they have to be reminded once a month once a year? I've run into several black friends who only know about liberal blacks and Douglas and the peanut guy and activists; nothing with science or mechanics and yes, it was a black who invented the light bulb, it was only Edison who improved on it and took credit or credit was given to him for it.

Sort of like breast awareness month; I don't need a whole month to be told I have them. Why isn't there a prostate awareness month? More guys die from prostate cancer than we do of breast cancer - guess it'd be sexist by the liberal/progressives.

[MAGA2017]

“Black History Month” needs to go away. Has become more political and annoying with each passing year. We don’t need it any more than we need White History month.

[PIF]

Honestly, I think black history month should last about 2 or 3 days hours. After that, you sort of run out of things to say.

fixed

[elpadre]

I believe learning black history is important when learned in context with all history. The most important history though is American history, taught from the view that this is an exceptional country which has accomplished exceptional things.

[Skywise]

Lost? Nothing of consequence.

[rockrr]

Meanwhile, how can kids expect to figure out the world and solve its problems when they are clueless about what is happening now and have no knowledge of the past?

The author made an inadvertent funny. He just described the public school system.