Students in Colorado’s Jefferson County have walked out of their classes at several schools, protesting the proposed curriculum changes in U.S. History classes.
These walk outs have been organized via Facebook and through other social media. Protests began when dozens of teachers at Standley Lake High School in Westminster, and Conifer High in Conifer, called in sick causing both schools to close for the day.
The teacher protest began over a disagreement over pay and the intentions of the new conservative board members, also the boards proposal to set up a curriculum committee to review what materials taught in class.
The school board believes materials should promote citizenship, patriotism, essentials and benefits of the free enterprise system, respect for authority and respect for individual rights. Materials should not encourage or condone civil disorder, social strife or disregard of the law, but materials should only present positive aspects of the United States and its heritage. America had its mess ups and we deserve to know.
The purpose of the manipulation of these classes in the future can be used to keep students/ future adults ignorant of their rights preventing any kind of change like America has made so many of. Censorship of the things we have done as Americans to improve our country will inhibit the growth of America and us as Americans.
America should not be censored. Our education should not be censored.
School board members think that some parts of our nation’s past is portrayed negatively in these AP History classes. This is not true because it is seen first hand in these classes that we are taught the facts of our history, nowhere is America bashed.
The school board suggests that schools should “sugar coat” the history taught about America, topics such as the bombing of Hiroshima and slavery. But it is not okay to censor the education of students in public school; we have come to learn what made America what it is now, the morals and rights we have today. It is not right to censor nor manipulate us.
