Colorado School Protest: Students Walk Out Over ‘History’ Changes
A Colorado school protest has begun after the administration decided to change the focus of its history curriculum. It appears that the Denver suburb’s school would rather have its students learn about patriotism than civil unrest.
Anybody who knows anything about American history knows that if it wasn’t for slavery, the Civil War might never have happened. It’s a basic fact that any African American will point out for you, because it marked the start of the black community and others having the same rights as everybody else.
These parts of U.S. history were among the struggle to make this country as free as it is today, and Colorado’s second largest school district in Jefferson County thinks that American history should emphasize its more “positive” aspects and teach students to “behave” instead.
Colorado Students Walk Out Of School To Protest History Classes That (Gasp!) Promote Patriotism… http://t.co/UJ3kNb6U2C
— RantReaper (@RantReaper) September 24, 2014
The students are fighting for the “uncensored” version of our nation’s past, and have staged the Colorado school protest to let their voices be heard. The protest began on Tuesday when students walked out of their classrooms and took to the streets to let the public know what was happening.
While school boards like Pamona High School would rather have them focus on patriotism, respect for authority, and citizenship, the students are very aware of what made this nation great from the start. Civil unrest was the basis behind the original thirteen colonies breaking free of the rule of Great Britain. The United States were founded on war with authority.
Ralston Valley High School student Tori Leu stated, “I don’t think my education should be censored. We should be able to know what happened in our past.”
Julie Williams, part of the school board’s conservative majority, was the one who initiated the change and offered the following statement.
“There are things we may not be proud of as Americans. But we shouldn’t be encouraging our kids to think that America is a bad place.”
Supporting the Colorado school protest, senior Tyrone G. Parks countered Williams’ movement.
“[Everything] that we’ve done is what allowed us to be at this point today. And if you take that from us, you take away everything that America was built off of.”
A school board member who opposes the change told a local newspaper, “It’s chilling. Does it mean [the district’s students] will no longer study the civil rights movement, the Boston Tea Party or women’s suffrage?”
If the Denver school district gives in to the Colorado school protest and turns down the change, it is still unclear whether the students will be punished for their civil disobedience.
What do you think should happen?
[image via The Brian Mo, Deviantart]
