Our VASD Education has Failed Us; Teach us Black History

Ignorance. There is no other word suitable for describing the vast majority of the American population and the population of Verona Area School District students when it comes to an awareness of the adversity which faces people of color in our world, country, state, city, and schools.

VASD students have never been taught about Juneteenth. We have never been taught about the Tulsa Massacre, nor that a Black Wall Street existed. We are all familiar with MLK, Rosa Parks, and Harriet Tubman, but which other esteemed black people could we name? The list is dishearteningly small.

Yes, we are ignorant, but no, students are not at fault. We have been taught history from the perspective of a white man, ethnic histories ignored. This is unacceptable.

We need to do better.

VASD students come from a diverse array of ethnic backgrounds. All students must be provided the knowledge to understand and empathize with the histories of the other ethnicities present in our classrooms. This can be achieved by adopting a holistic style of teaching which encompasses a diverse array of perspectives and topics from around the world--a vital step which we MUST take if we as a school district and as a society are ever going to break the confines of systemic racism.

The unprecedented events which are currently happening in our society have created a unique and unparalleled moment in time to enact lasting change. NOW is the time to take action and improve the education of VASD students for generations to come.

Black Lives Matter, and so does Black History.