A school district in Colorado thinks its American history curriculum is a bit too glass-is-half-empty when it comes to America’s historical awesomeness. So, to spruce things up a bit, a proposal before the school board of the state’s second largest school district in Jefferson County wants to, you know, nip and tuck a tad—accentuate the positives. What would that look like? The proposed curriculum would “promote patriotic material, respect for authority, and the free-market system,” the Denver Post reports. “In turn, the panel would avoid material about ‘civil disorder, social strife or disregard of the law.’”
The new, well-buffed version of American history didn’t go over well with students, as the Associated Press reports, “[h]undreds of students walked out of classrooms around suburban Denver on Tuesday in protest over a conservative-led school board proposal.” Here’s more from the AP:
Student participants said their demonstration was organized by word of mouth and social media. Many waved American flags and carried signs, including messages that read “There is nothing more patriotic than protest.” “I don’t think my education should be censored. We should be able to know what happened in our past,” said Tori Leu, a 17-year-old student who protested at Ralston Valley High School in Arvada… The proposal from Julie Williams, part of the board’s conservative majority, has not been voted on and was put on hold last week. She didn’t return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment Tuesday, but previously told Chalkbeat Colorado, a school news website, that she recognizes there are negative events that are part of U.S. history that need to be taught. “There are things we may not be proud of as Americans,” she said. “But we shouldn’t be encouraging our kids to think that America is a bad place.”
“It’s chilling,” said school board member who opposes the changes told the Denver Post. “Does it mean [the district’s students] will no longer study the civil rights movement, the Boston Tea Party or women’s suffrage?”
