President Trump’s most recent slew of controversial takes that he wishes to implement is his desire to change our education as we know it.
This announcement came in the middle of the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement, which has often been accompanied by people criticizing the nation as a whole and denying the age-old statement of America claiming to be the best country. For months, protesters have not stepped away from this belief.
The way schools teach American history has recently been questioned more than ever, especially with more widely unknown information that is constantly going viral all over social media.
“I think wanting to teach students a white-washed version of American history is a slap in the face to Native Americans, Black people, Hispanics, and the countless immigrants living in America. To do that is to erase our history,” said Midechelle Avril, a Health Academy senior at Miami Lakes Educational Center (MLEC).
The vast difference between how others view America has caused even more division, and throughout this disagreement, Trump has echoed the sentiment of those who believe that America has always been the country to stand above it all. This motion to put these teachings into our curriculum only further solidifies his stance— as well as brings forward a new conversation regarding the future of our country.
“… I will soon sign an executive order establishing a national commission to promote patriotic education. It will be called the 1776 Commission. It will encourage our educators to teach our children about the miracle of American history…,” said Trump during the White House Conference this past Thursday.
This was not the first time Trump had expressed discontent with the way history was being taught in the classrooms. His recent push for change in our education aligns with his previous claims just a few months ago.
During his July 4th speech at Mount Rushmore, he had claimed that what students are learning is “a web of lies” and only focuses on the flaws of American history.
“Against every law of society and nature, our children are taught in school to hate their own country and to believe that men and women who built it were not heroes but that were villains,” he said in his July 4th speech.
It has been pointed out several times during these past few days that President Trump does not have the power to make such a massive change to the educational curriculum, but it has not stopped people from cheering him on and fully supporting this ideal.
Alongside his massive support, however, has brought outrage. Many are not only upset over his approach to “improving” education, but also his attempt to step outside the lines of the federal government’s abilities.
Whether or not Trump has taken steps to implement this new way of learning is unbeknownst to the public, but rest assured that we may be hearing more regarding a patriotic curriculum. In the meantime, these statements continue to upset the people of America.
“Teaching lies won’t change the ways America has brutalized minority communities. Only by teaching an honest version of history can this country admit its’ sin, honor the communities impacted, and progress in order to avoid repeating history,” continued Avril.
