History has often said to be the story of the victors. Who are the victors in U.S. society? Well, it has traditionally been the White European population. Because of this, many modern historians and educators have found it very important to really focus on the histories of ethnic minorities and oppressed people. I know in my own U.S. History classes it is easy to focus solely on the large leaders and victors and not focus on the lower classes, oppressed, and ethnic minorities.
Because of this skewed white history that students often received, many states have had ethnic studies classes, which focuses on the culture, literature, and the history of different ethnic groups. Why is this necessary? Let me give you a few examples. Suppose you are a Mexican student in the U.S. History Class. You learn about the victorious American army against Mexico, perhaps, with a strong bias towards the U.S. “justified” reasons for the war. You learn about the history of white Anglo-Saxon heroes; however, you hear little about the heroes and culture of your own culture and history.
Another more intense example would be a student from a Native American background. They learn how the United States government essentially wiped their people off the map. However, they may not learn much about the rich and advanced culture of many of the Native American tribes. In fact, their cultures may only be presented as backwards compared to the European culture. The student may lose any pride in his own history and culture, which in turn will negatively affect his own self-esteem.
Unfortunately, the state of Arizona recently banned these courses as they were said to promote the attitude of white oppression in the classroom (ironically, this ruling seems to be saying this the loudest). This is just another example of the white majority in Arizona flexing their political muscle to the disregard of the smaller minority population there. While there is certainly a danger in making everyone feel liked the “oppressed” or made to cry “racism” for everything, it is equally important that students really learn about and appreciate their own culture and ethnic heritage. The U.S. is a diverse nation of immigrants. Perhaps, Arizona needs to learn that history and literature should expand beyond the limited White Anglo-Saxon position they want to promote. One way this being done is through these ethnic-studies classes they have just made illegal.
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