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Frankly, even expressing an opinion to a group who lacks power to oppose you is questionable. Fortunately, I just teach math, and even then my opinions on math are pretty much never relevant to the class. I make a conscious effort to keep my comments to math in class.
Agreed. I do think, though, that expressing your opinion if part of a planned effort to help kids learn critical thinking skills would be fine. But that is tough to do and maintain any level of neutrality.
 
Frankly, even expressing an opinion to a group who lacks power to oppose you is questionable. Fortunately, I just teach math, and even then my opinions on math are pretty much never relevant to the class. I make a conscious effort to keep my comments to math in class.
You keep your damned hippy beliefs about imaginary numbers outta my kids head okay!
 
Frankly, even expressing an opinion to a group who lacks power to oppose you is questionable. Fortunately, I just teach math, and even then my opinions on math are pretty much never relevant to the class. I make a conscious effort to keep my comments to math in class.
My daughter is going to start pre-calculus as a freshman and I am sooooo screwed at being able to help her with homework in the near future. If she came home spouting about the Hagelan dialectic and how that relates with neo capitlism as discussed in math class, I would be far more comfortable helping her.
 
Im not from USA so I dont really understand, if somebody can explain please, why does history have to be separated into black history and white history, isnt it all history? And why do kids have to learn black history or white history specifically, again, isnt it all just one history? I find the idea of even separating history into "white" and "black" racist in its core
 
During the black lives matter movement last summer I challenged my extended family (BIL, SIL, MIL, sisters, etc.), who are generally all white and mostly mormon (about half live in Utah), to actually talk to a person of color about this movement and what it means to them, because pretty much all of my family were stuck on the whole "all lives matter" ********. Only one of them took up the challenge and it completely changed her point of view (my sister, way to go sis!). The others hemmed and hawed and made excuses. I detailed a bit of these conversations with my BIL, a former mormon bishop and current high counselman, who was adamantly against the movement, and who I am coming to find is a heavy racist in flowery clothes. He refused to even acknowledge the need to talk to anyone because his opinions were already "informed". It is very sad really, but very true also, that Utah has a bad track-record with this stuff, and for good reason. Lots of mormons like their white neighborhoods, and white churches, and cover it all in the fact that on their mission they met a black family once. I wish the church leadership itself would do more to break this stereotype and combat this issue in the individual wards and stakes.
well when the Mormons allowed blacks to have the priesthood, many people left the church because of that decision. I am not surprised that most of your family didn't want to take your challenge. Kudos to your sister but for too many people if stuff does not affect them then they don't care. Many whites/mormons still believe they are better than blacks/minorities even though many do not publicly say it. There are a lot more sympathizers to the KKK/white nationalist movement than actual members. So if all lives matter to these people than why are they so against blacks protesting for their rights and against police brutality and murdering of blacks. So we all know they really do not believe that all lives matter and we know the reason why? Funny how Fox news did not even show the funeral of the police killed in the Capital attack, but... I guess Blue lives Matter only if a Black person is killing them.
 
It should be covered all year as US history. Just like anything else that is/was relevant to our country's history and culture roots.

If it's US history, teach it. Seems pretty simple to me.
Problem is that they don't teach it

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Im not from USA so I dont really understand, if somebody can explain please, why does history have to be separated into black history and white history, isnt it all history? And why do kids have to learn black history or white history specifically, again, isnt it all just one history? I find the idea of even separating history into "white" and "black" racist in its core
well I agree but for the other 11 months the history taught is slanted towards whites. So black history was created to give focus on the history of black Americans. Ideally I agree with you but Black History month would not have been needed if there was a more balanced American history. Whites have used history lessons for propaganda of American Exceptionalism leaving out the brutality used to create our nation. That is why when I was in elementary school we heard stories about Honest Abe Lincoln, George Washington chopping down cherry trees, Indians and Cowboys with the Indians being the bad guys. All History should be taught not just the good but also the reality of what actually happened. American History did not start at the time of the American Revolution. There were people living here, cities, cultures, languages etc. Most Americans are ignorant of these facts so they believe the propaganda and then they start believing that we are better than other races and nations. These is why we act arrogantly and go around the world pushing people around and bombing countries. Some of our actions have been necessary but too many have not. The result is that we have Parents passing on there racists views to the next generation and that is why racial progress is slow. The people in the majority see no need to change as long as they remain on top.
 
well I agree but for the other 11 months the history taught is slanted towards whites. So black history was created to give focus on the history of black Americans. Ideally I agree with you but Black History month would not have been needed if there was a more balanced American history. Whites have used history lessons for propaganda of American Exceptionalism leaving out the brutality used to create our nation. That is why when I was in elementary school we heard stories about Honest Abe Lincoln, George Washington chopping down cherry trees, Indians and Cowboys with the Indians being the bad guys. All History should be taught not just the good but also the reality of what actually happened. American History did not start at the time of the American Revolution. There were people living here, cities, cultures, languages etc. Most Americans are ignorant of these facts so they believe the propaganda and then they start believing that we are better than other races and nations. These is why we act arrogantly and go around the world pushing people around and bombing countries. Some of our actions have been necessary but too many have not. The result is that we have Parents passing on there racists views to the next generation and that is why racial progress is slow. The people in the majority see no need to change as long as they remain on top.
Okay, I understand that propaganda in America is strong, its not just schools, its mass media and all kinds of other things (things arent much better in the rest of the world, we are all "victims" of some sort of propaganda and indoctrination). Do people really believe that if you call one month a year "black history month" that things will change drastically when it comes to racism ( will some racist people really go "oh look there is black history month, im not gonna be racist anymore"). History of black people should be taught as part of regular history (as should history of white people, I mean, its all one history, there are no two separate histories). As i said, I find the idea of even having something like "black history" or "white history" to be racist and divisive in its core, but people who do propose it will accusse you of being racist simply for disagreeing with them. Now thats racism
 
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Theres a lot of **** we should teach in schools... theres some we shouldn't (I want all the time back I spent on ****ing cursive handwriting). Black History is so intertwined with American History I have no idea how you teach one without the other. In college it was a large part of our curriculum in my US History class. Honestly the class was so well taught I'd probably take it again for enrichment and entertainment.
 
So what would your argument for opting out be then if it isn't racist?
Nobody opted out. Read the article. Parents had concerns, got the information and then were fine. AFTER this the administrator mentioned opt-out, but the option was not used (at least according to the reporting I have seen.)

It is possible that some people might be concerned about an ACB bias, especially if they are police officers. That wouldn't be racism.

Or maybe some of those Montesorri hippies actually were racist. We don't know.
 
Update from the school:
Public Statement Regarding Black History Month
The Maria Montessori Academy Board of Directors and the School Director have one primary goal – providing a quality and equitable education to all of our students. Celebrating Black History Month is part of our tradition. We regret that after receiving requests, an opt-out form was sent out concerning activities planned during this month of celebration. We are grateful that families that initially had questions and concerns have willingly come to the table to resolve any differences and at this time no families are opting out of our planned activities and we have removed this option. In the future, we will handle all parental concerns on an individual basis. We are excited to celebrate the rich content of Black History Month at our school.
Whatever the problem was, it seems like it's been resolved. Perhaps public attention to it helped (or not -- it's hard to know from afar).
 
well when the Mormons allowed blacks to have the priesthood, many people left the church because of that decision. I am not surprised that most of your family didn't want to take your challenge. Kudos to your sister but for too many people if stuff does not affect them then they don't care. Many whites/mormons still believe they are better than blacks/minorities even though many do not publicly say it.
Wow. A very narrow and different view than my experience. Does racism exist? Sure it does? Does it exist in the Mormon church, and many churches? -Sure it does. But these kind of sweeping allegations are the problem on both sides. Bad form in my opinion.
 
No one likes to get called out. I don't believe these parents are the worst scumbags ever. But you have to do things near perfect or you will be slandered for life.
 
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