This post was originally published on Word In Black.
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No matter how much the right-wing ridicules this term, the black community must wake up. In recent years, we have witnessed disturbing trends that threaten the foundations of democratic societies, including the banning of books, censorship of curricula, and attacks on historical narratives in educational institutions.
These actions not only threaten the principles of academic freedom and undermine the health of our educational system, but also position America as a democracy on the brink of collapse.
Education is intended to be a journey that unlocks the unknown, expands critical thinking, and fosters intellectual growth. At the heart of this journey is the freedom to engage with diverse ideas, perspectives, and honest histories.
When they censor books, sanitize curricula, and suppress truths about the harsh effects of slavery, Jim Crow, Reconstruction, and various civil rights movements, they expose students to the complex issues of the past. You are robbing yourself of the opportunity to engage and design your future. A more just society.
In a country that is becoming more diverse by the day, we cannot allow the right to whitewash our history or dilute our culture by ignoring the multicultural America and the world in which our young people live. To do anything other than teach both history and contemporary reality is tantamount to erasure.
Education should encourage dialogue, debate, and the exploration of diverse perspectives, rather than shielding them from different ideas, uncomfortable truths, and controversial topics. Still, according to the American Library Association (ALA), more than 4,200 books will be subject to censorship in 2023, an increase of 65% from the previous year, with 47% of them based on the lived experiences of the LGBTQ+ community and people of color. It is said that it was centered on .
This is not a mistake. It is a deliberate effort to spread (cis-hetero) white supremacy. The result is a dangerous domino effect that is reversing hard-won civil rights progress. The so-called anti-CRT and anti-DEI culture wars coincided with the collapse of affirmative action in college admissions, the reduction of voting rights, and the expansion of white grievance politics and claims of reverse racism. Schools have always been battlegrounds for the civil rights movement, and today is no exception.
Black and Latino students are particularly affected by the erasure of their history and culture. Because the majority of students in the United States are people of color, they deserve a culturally relevant, rich, and rigorous education. Not only is it correct, it also has positive effects. Research shows that children are more engaged and perform better academically when they see themselves reflected in books, learning materials, and teachers. In other words, representation matters.
Similarly, curriculum censorship stifles academic inquiry and hinders educators' ability to provide a comprehensive and balanced education. The right's attacks on history are particularly insidious, seeking to rewrite or erase the past to fit an American memory that no longer represents who we are or where we are going.
History is not static. It is a dynamic and continuous process of investigation, interpretation, and modification, and must not be diluted or distorted. And whiteness should no longer be the default perspective.
Additionally, book banning, curriculum censorship, and attacks on history disproportionately impact marginalized communities and perpetuate systemic inequalities. By silencing voices and perspectives that challenge the status quo or highlight the experiences of marginalized groups, we perpetuate narratives of exclusion and erasure. Our history, our heroes, our experiences cannot be erased.
That's why EdTrust and prominent leaders in education and civil rights are hosting “Can't Be Erased: An Event to Rally Against Book Bans and Curriculum Censorship” on Wednesday, April 17th at 6pm ET. Attendees of this free virtual event can learn how to protest. Oppose efforts to suppress honest history teaching and diversity of identity and ideas in your community.
The demand to provide culturally relevant curriculum to all students in a safe and inclusive environment has never been more pressing. Book bans and policies that limit discussion of race, gender, and identity not only impede academic growth but also obscure students' understanding of the diverse cultures of the United States and the world around them.