{"id":6888,"date":"2025-03-03T17:15:22","date_gmt":"2025-03-03T17:15:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/?p=6888"},"modified":"2025-03-03T17:15:22","modified_gmt":"2025-03-03T17:15:22","slug":"erasing-black-history-these-unions-say-not-on-their-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/?p=6888","title":{"rendered":"Erasing Black History? These Unions Say Not on Their Watch"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>by\u00a0<span class=\"author vcard\"><a class=\"url fn n\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/author\/quintessa-williams-special-to-the-informer-via-word-in-black\/\">Quintessa Williams, Special to The Informer via Word in Black<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Black Wall Street, the Red Summer of 1919, redlining, the truth about what happened after Reconstruction, how the March on Washington was organized \u2014 there\u2019s plenty of Black history most of us weren\u2019t taught in our middle and high school U.S. history classes. But what happens if teaching Black history becomes illegal nationwide?<\/p>\n<p>Some experts worry that\u2019s the goal of the Trump administration and other conservatives who have spent the past several years censoring Black history in schools. But while politicians attempt to suppress the truth, teacher unions are saying, \u201cnot on our watch.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEducation is about being uncomfortable,\u201d says Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association. \u201cIf we only teach what makes people feel good, we aren\u2019t teaching the full truth. The history of this country includes painful and unjust moments. It\u2019s our responsibility to make sure students learn from that.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-1    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-1 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-caf9af3267-0\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Amid the growing war on Black history, teacher unions nationwide have become one of the most tangible defenses against such restrictions. Through legal pushbacks, advocacy efforts, and community initiatives, teacher unions \u2014 especially in more politically restrictive states \u2014 are making it clear that the fight for Black history is far from over.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-the-southern-strategy\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Southern Strategy<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The FEA, the state\u2019s largest teacher\u2019s union, has plenty of recent experience with attacks on the truth. In 2021, Florida became ground zero for the modern war on Black history. Under Governor Ron DeSantis, the state\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flgov.com\/eog\/news\/press\/2021\/governor-desantis-announces-legislative-proposal-stop-woke-activism-and-critical\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">launched an all-out attack<\/a>\u00a0on how race would be taught in public schools. First came the Stop WOKE Act, which restricted how and what educators could teach about racism and slavery. Then came the book bans, a crackdown on DEI initiatives, and the removal of Black history lessons deemed \u201ctoo divisive.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The crackdown on Black history spread across the South \u2014 at least 18 states and several local school districts have since jumped on the bandwagon, led primarily by Republican politicians.<\/p>\n<p>Florida drew national outrage in 2023 for\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nea.org\/nea-today\/all-news-articles\/floridas-new-history-standard-blow-our-students-and-nation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">rewriting its African American history curriculum<\/a>\u00a0with new standards suggesting that enslaved people \u201cbenefited\u201d from slavery because they learned new skills.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Georgia banned educators from teaching students anything that they claimed would cause \u201cguilt\u201d or \u201canguish\u201d over past racial injustices, and in 2024, Georgia\u2019s state superintendent\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/wordinblack.com\/2024\/08\/ap-african-american-course-national-debate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">refused to fund AP African American Studies<\/a>\u00a0courses.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-2    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-2 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-2bd992b9b0-0\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cWe raised hell and dust about it,\u201d Georgia Federation of Teachers President Verdaillia Turner says. \u201cThey want to whitewash history and make sure our children don\u2019t know who they are. But, we have to fight for our heritage and culture just like everyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-the-argument-for-censorship\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Argument for Censorship<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Evidence-based history education does not assign guilt or victimhood to students based on their racial or ethnic background. Instead, it seeks to ensure students understand complex historical events and develop critical thinking skills.<\/p>\n<p>However, proponents of these restrictions argue that teaching students about race can cause feelings of guilt or discomfort among students, especially white students. When\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2022\/01\/19\/us\/florida-education-critical-race-theory-bill\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">introducing the Stop WOKE Act in 2021<\/a>, DeSantis stated, \u201cNo taxpayer dollars should be used to teach our kids to hate our country or each other.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Similar rhetoric can be found in the Trump administration\u2019s directives. A Jan. 29 Executive Order titled \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/presidential-actions\/2025\/01\/ending-radical-indoctrination-in-k-12-schooling\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schools<\/a>\u201d states that in schools, \u201cinnocent children are compelled to adopt identities as either victims or oppressors solely based on their skin color and other immutable characteristics. Two weeks later, on Feb. 17, the U.S. Department of Education\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ed.gov\/about\/news\/press-release\/us-department-of-education-cuts-over-600-million-divisive-teacher-training-grants\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">slashed $600 million<\/a>\u00a0from teacher prep programs, including training to \u201chelp educators confront biases and have transformative conversations about equity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration\u2019s recent threat to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ed.gov\/media\/document\/dear-colleague-letter-sffa-v-harvard-109506.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pull federal funding<\/a>\u00a0from universities and K-12 districts with DEI programs could harm states like California, Illinois, and New York, which have\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.weteachnyc.org\/resources\/resource\/black-studies-as-the-study-of-the-world-a-pk-12-black-studies-curriculum-for-new-york-city-public-schools-full-curriculum-pk-12\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">strengthened their Black history<\/a>\u00a0curriculums and have more legislative support.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-3    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-3 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-dc2e0e383b-0\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cThe whitewashing of history is an attempt to control the future,\u201d Turner says. \u201cIf our children don\u2019t know their history, they are more vulnerable to oppression and discrimination. We can\u2019t let that happen.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-the-resistance-in-court-and-beyond\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Resistance: In Court and Beyond<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Spar says the FEA has pushed back against DeSantis\u2019 policies through lawsuits and public campaigns. In 2023, they collaborated with the Florida Freedom to Read Project and Families for Strong Public Schools in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/feaweb.org\/release\/teachers-librarians-parents-challenge-censorship-agenda\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">filing a petition challenging the state\u2019s censorship agenda<\/a>\u00a0to undermine public education and restrict access to diverse literature.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur work doesn\u2019t stop in the classroom,\u201d Spar says. \u201cWe are organizing parents, students, and educators to make sure their voices are heard at school board meetings, in the media, and in the courts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Turner says the Georgia Federation of Teachers works alongside educators, local leaders, and policymakers to ensure Black history curriculum remains intact despite state-level censorship. Additionally, GFT has also\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicnewsservice.org\/2024-10-07\/education\/ga-educators-warn-of-escalating-teacher-crisis-amid-political-rhetoric\/a92763-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">offered assistance to educators<\/a>\u00a0who\u2019ve been penalized for teaching comprehensive Black history and has helped to address the growing teacher shortage in Georgia.<\/p>\n<p>About\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.weareteachers.com\/most-powerful-teachers-unions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">70% of the nation\u2019s 3.2 million teachers<\/a>\u00a0are union members, but depending on state laws, their power varies. For Spar and Turner, strengthening union participation among educators is key to fighting back against efforts to censor Black history.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-4    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-4 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-ca419f6974-0\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>\u201cThe first thing I\u2019m always going to say to educators is to join your union, \u201c Spar says. \u201cBecause your union is what has your back, and your union is who is fighting. If we truly want to change what\u2019s happening in the state of Florida, we have to have a strong voice. And the only way we have that is to stand together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They also say educators must foster meaningful connections with Black students and extend educational opportunities beyond the classroom.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHave school after school,\u201d Turner says, and meet students wherever they are. \u201cThey deserve to know that we\u2019re all there for them, that we respect them, and that we are going to do everything we can to make sure they get the education they need.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And resist systemic efforts to suppress knowledge that empowers Black communities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt takes a whole community to fight back,\u201d Turner says. \u201cWe have to lock arms with every person involved who believes in truth and justice. We can\u2019t afford to be silent.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"scaip scaip-5    \">\n<div class=\"newspack_global_ad scaip-5 fixed-height\">\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-45854c9b0e-0\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p><em>This story was\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/wordinblack.com\/2025\/02\/erasing-black-history-unions-say-not-on-our-watch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">originally published online with Word In Black<\/a>, a collaboration of the nation\u2019s leading Black news publishers (of which The Informer is a member).<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Source: Published without changes from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtoninformer.com\/black-history-censorship-resistance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Washington Informer Newspaper<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by\u00a0Quintessa Williams, Special to The Informer via Word in Black Black Wall Street, the Red Summer of 1919,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6889,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[254,26,24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6888","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-america-fights-back","category-black-history","category-regular-column"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6888","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6888"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6888\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6890,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6888\/revisions\/6890"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6889"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6888"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6888"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/africanamericanvoice.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6888"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}