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January 16, 2006
by the time i get to a.p. history.
Last year I met a middle school teacher who told me how she was asked by her administrator to "stress" the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. as having mixed results for African Americans and that the declaration of his birthday as a national holiday was "controversial." He wasn't being racist, she was told, he was suggesting it in order "to provide a more balanced view of history."
The teacher didn't do it, thankfully, and instead led an impromptu discussion about all the forms xenophobia takes, including poorly veiled suggestions from administrators. Good for her.
Recalling this story to my sister today, she reminded me that many public school districts in suburban Jersey make the MLK holiday optional depending on the racial make-up of the population. As if respect for human rights could be applied selectively.
Oh wait, silly me -- yes they can.
Posted by yatta at January 16, 2006 2:17 PM