Although I have done very well, I am the son and grandson of penniless immigrants. I am grateful for the USA — a unique beacon of freedom for the world — and the wonderful opportunities it has given me and my family.
However, I am very concerned about the increasing tendency to only teach our national history in a positive light, leaving out or drastically modifying the truth. In the flippant words of the Trump administration, creating “alternative facts” — otherwise known as lies — when the truth is inconvenient.
Thus, the Trump administration is bent on modifying the exhibits at the Smithsonian, supposedly to make them less confrontational. In reality, the goal is to “whitewash” uncomfortable parts of American history.
And it is not just Trump; his MAGA enablers are at it as well. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a sure candidate for the GOP nomination in 2026, insisted that slaves benefited from learning trades.
Credit: Contributed
Credit: Contributed
Although there is an increased emphasis on alternative facts due to the culture wars, there is also a long history of misleading our students regarding U.S. history. And there has been hesitancy on the part of school boards to affirmatively address teachers who are clearly racist or pushing racism.
In my county, a teacher alleged to be a racist activist ultimately resigned, although he was defended by his principal, who is now an elected Fayette County school board member. Similarly, a Walton County teacher who was investigated for reportedly writing the “N” word on a blackboard last year resigned after a student released the incident as recorded on his camera.
And the problem of historical inaccuracy is not confined to the South. I went to high school in Georgia and New York. In neither place did I learn much about the negative aspects of American history.
I was in advanced placement classes in one of the best public schools on Long Island (Note: There were very few students of color). My teacher taught us that the Civil War was fought solely for economic reasons. She never mentioned slavery.
Likewise, when my family moved to Cartersville, my high school instructor in my segregated school indicated that the Civil War was fought over states’ rights. Slavery was never brought up.
It was not until college at the University of Georgia and Georgia State University that I realized the truth. The Civil War was fought because the Southern states wanted to preserve slavery — the immoral ownership of Black men, women and children.
Many of the states that seceded clearly stated this fact. In the words of Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens (a Georgian): “The new (Confederate) constitution has put at rest, forever, all the agitating questions relating to our peculiar institution African slavery as it exists amongst us the proper status of the negro in our form of civilization. This was the immediate cause of the late rupture and present revolution.”
But it is not just historical racism that has been distorted by our educational system. Georgia, Florida and other states controlled by the right wing of the GOP have decided that it is politically helpful to stir the pot of white grievance in other ways.
For example, there is a trend toward saying that right-wing parents versus teachers should decide what is taught and read. There are even organizations (Mama Bears and Moms for Liberty) that have been formed to promote censorship of teaching anything that is not obviously conservative.
Our school boards are elected. They reflect the will of our residents and supervise school administrators. There is no need for disruptive groups like those above to create problems where none exist.
Simply put, leave our children’s education to the professionals.
Jack Bernard, a retired business executive and former chair of the Jasper County Commission and Republican Party, was the first director of health planning for Georgia.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
