February 2, 2025

The last time I wrote a post about political influences on education was back in 2021 when I wrote a post about Critical Race Theory (CRT). I was a school superintendent that year, and I vividly recall getting phone calls and emails from parents asking about CRT – I had to look it up in order to answer their questions. I did my research and then wrote a letter to the community trying to answer all of their questions. That blog post was an adaptation of that letter.

Some time after that post was written, I worked for a district that had passed a ban on using CRT in the classroom. In my one year with that district, I was asked repeatedly in public whether I had come across any examples of CRT in the classroom. The answer was always the same – it was a strong and unequivocal “No.” 

Still, the fear and worry continued among many in the community. 

Our nation’s supposed new enemy is DEI – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. President Trump has ordered a halt to DEI programs under federal jurisdiction. At least this time, they are talking about an initiative that, unlike CRT, actually does exist in some of our nation’s schools. Every school I have worked in has made efforts to eliminate racist acts in schools, to support all students in their learning and achievement, and to make every student and every family feel valued and cared about. From what I hear and read in the news, those efforts are now the enemy.

The story that caught my attention was a story about the United States Air Force pausing and reviewing videos and curriculum that taught about and, yes, honored the Tuskegee Airmen, the first and only unit to allow black pilots and airmen to fly in World War II. They also pulled programs about Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs). New Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, when he heard about the controversy, which quickly exploded on social media, made it clear that the military would continue using materials that honor both the Tuskegee Airmen and the WASPs. The Air Force then stated that an “adjusted” curriculum would be reinstated with these videos intact. However, “DEI material” which accompanied this content has been removed.

Here’s the problem: Where is the line between the history and the “DEI material?”

When I taught US history, I made a point to more thoroughly teach truths that were often ignored or glossed over by traditional textbooks:

• Details about the the systematic removal of Native Americans
• The horrors of slavery
• The heroism of Japanese-Americans, particularly those in the 442 unit, who performed incredible acts of bravery while their families remained in internment camps
• The courage of civil rights activists, who endured humiliation, physical injuries, and even deaths while fighting for civil rights

I did not consider teaching those topics courageous back then. But now, it takes some courage to go in depth beyond the paltry coverage they get in normal textbooks. Teachers cannot predict when their classroom conversations on these topics will be perceived as an effort to make students feel guilty for the sins of the past (and I have never met a teacher who sought to do that) or to brainwash students into a “woke ideology” – when they will go from being seen as teachers of history to proselytizers of the DEI initiatives that are under attack. Great teachers do not brainwash. They present information in a compelling manner and help students to think deeply about what they are learning.

Covering those topics does not make teachers less patriotic. We Americans have made mistakes and wronged many people, and though there are still too many wrongs, we have made great progress. My lens in teaching United States history was always that we are the greatest democracy and force of freedom that the world has ever known. I still believe that. I took pride in the fact that my students were always left guessing about whether I was a Democrat or a Republican. 

When I worked in the district that banned CRT, I repeatedly encouraged history teachers to talk with their principal if they were going to teach a lesson that some might interpret as CRT, just because of the nature of the topic. And I encouraged principals to call me if they had questions. I have the nagging feeling that, too many times, teachers backed off of topics that might have brought unwelcome attention. I don’t blame them.

I appreciate Secretary Hegseth acting quickly to publicly declare that the suspension of the lessons including the WASPs and the Tuskegee Airmen “has been reversed.” But the confusion and uncertainty has not been completely sorted out, and too much of that confusion and uncertainty will never see the light of day. And this same confusion and uncertainty will be occurring in thousands of classrooms where history and literature from different points of view are being considered. That confusion and uncertainty will create fear, I believe deliberately, and that will have a chilling effect on what teachers feel confident in teaching.

I had the radio on this week, and I switched to a news channel just as President Trump was making remarks about the tragic crash between a passenger jet and a military helicopter, where 67 people lost their lives. Trump began by honoring all of those who died, and by stating that the entire nation mourned each of the deaths. This is what a president should do. – sometimes the president needs to be the “consoler-in-chief.” But then, he pivoted and blamed Obama(!) and Biden for their DEI policies, saying that was the reason for the crash. It was hard to listen to. Very sad. We don’t know the reason for the crash yet. That’s what the FAA investigation is for. But it was a stunning signal that DEI will be the scapegoat for too many things in the years to come. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Rationalizations and the incessant search for scapegoats are the psychological cataracts that blind us to our sins.” 

And what are schools to do when one of our students is the victim of a bigoted act, where they are attacked because of the color of their skin, their national heritage, or their religious beliefs? For me, saying “I’m sorry” was never enough when I met with victims of such hate and/or their parents. Our job in schools is to educate. Hateful acts and statements are NEVER OK, and we have an obligation to teach that. Are the Anti-Defamation League’s “No Place for Hate” campaign or other programs like it DEI initiatives? I don’t know, but I believe some will say that they are. The day we stop protecting students from bias, hatred, and bullying will be a sad day for our schools.

The story of the United States is a fascinating and wonderful tale. And the more fabrics and colors that are woven into the tapestry of our history, the more accurate it becomes. Our nation’s story is more amazing when we consider all of our mistakes and struggles, all of our corrections, and our amazing progress since 1776. I also know that the job is not yet complete. I am proud to be an American, and I fervently believe that the more of us who know our full story, and the more we strive for all of our citizens to be free from hatred and protecting from bullying based on bias, the stronger we will become as a nation.

Thank you, and respectful comments that promote dialogue are always welcome.

Post #126 on www.drmdmatthews.com

If you’re not on the mailing list, you’re missing out. Not only will I let you know when my blog posts come out, but you will get my once-a-month-subscribers-only message.  I share what I’m cooking, what I’m watching, what I’m reading, and other news that had a profound impact on me. If you’re interested, please click here.

NOTES

I add these notes sections for a number of reasons:

• First and foremost, many of you are crazy enough to read them.
• My posts are long enough, so believe it or not, I do try to limit them. Ideas that don’t make the cut can end up in the notes section.
• I include additional resources, links, stories, for those of you who want to go a little deeper.
• I may include something from the comments made in my last post, or something I learned in the process of writing this one.
• And remember, the posts are long enough – no one is making you read the notes. (Dad – If you are going to critique me for how long my posts are, please stop reading now. This is the optional part!)

When I taught about World War II, I used Hawaii, one of James Michener’s awesome historical novels. We spent a day in class where I read aloud his tales of the 442 unit. One of the powerful quotes that I remember reading and discussing: “[During WW II, when a Japanese-American unit from Hawaii was fighting in Europe Ernie Pyle asked] “Sergeant, why did you push on against that cluster of houses? You knew it was crowded with Germans.” [The sergeant] replied in words that became famous both in Italy and America: “We had to. We fight double. Against the Germans and for every Japanese in America.” Reported Pyle: “And they’re winning both their wars.” -James Michener, Hawaii, pp. 789-790

It’s a sad day when parents stop reading to their children. I was lucky to share reading with both of my sons through their teenage years. And from my experience, if the reading material is highly engaging, high school students still love being read to.

There has been a lot of talk about DEI hiring processes. Here’s my take on that. Having a diverse work force is a plus. I have always thought that the United States military and professional sports, at least over the last 50 or 60 years, have been two places where people have chances to succeed regardless of the color of their skin. In education, given two equal candidates, I believe the candidate who is less represented in the workforce should be strongly considered. And I have never ever ever hired a less qualified candidate because their race, gender, religious beliefs, or sexual preference.

If you want students to receive the most boring and ineffective teaching as possible, direct them to use the textbook as their only resource. The best teachers adapt curriculum and find materials beyond the textbook that reach students, reinforce concepts, and ignite passions for learning.

Sometimes, a teacher, counselor, or administrator just letting students know that their classroom or office is a safe place where they will not be judged for their race, heritage, or beliefs, can not only provide a much-needed respite in a difficult day for a student, but it can also save lives.

The “consoler-in-chief” term came from quotes from both CNN and Fox. In my lifetime, Carter, Reagan, GHW Bush, Clinton, and Obama were all amazing at the consoling-individuals-and-the-nation-after-a-tragedy part of their job.

Here is my 2021 post on critical race theory.

I love the picture above and found it here.

Source of Tuskegee Airmen photo.