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There are books and words some demand we hide from those who are the most receptive to learn understanding, compassion, and reject hate. Not because these books are demonstrably wrong or prejudicial but because they clash with many Americans’ concept of the past and the reality in the country today. So history repeats itself because we allow the books about it to be burned and banned out of ignorance.
What’s this? You haven’t heard of this issue in, wait for it, Florida? The media, of course, got some facts wrong, but they got the gist of the story.
We've braved the belly of the beast.
We've learned that quiet isn't always peace,
And the norms and notions of what "just is"
Isn't always justice.
And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it.
Somehow, we do it.
Somehow, we've weathered and witnessed
A nation that isn't broken, but simply
unfinished.
Amanda Gorman, “The Hill We Climb”
A parent complained about a specific poem, The Hill We Climb, by Amanda Gorman. The poem read at the inauguration of President Joe Biden. The reason on the complaint form was (and I quote verbatim.)
“Is not educational and have indirectly hate messages,”
But don’t take my word for it. I’ve included an image of the actual complaint in this piece. The parent, Daily Salinas, and others also complained about several other books.
Ms. Salinas felt the need to file a complaint because the poem contained material that had no educational value and would indoctrinate those who read it to a certain political philosophy. She also claimed the poem was written by Oprah Winfrey—another understandable, if not entirely unexpected mistake since, well, you know those people all look alike—although it was actually written by Harvard graduate Amanda Gorman, (who knew such people went to Harvard,)
Words like this offended her,
“We close the divide because we know, to put our future first,
Amanda Gorman “The Hill We Climb”
we must first put our differences aside.
We lay down our arms
so we can reach out our arms
to one another.
We seek harm to none and harmony for all.
Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true:
That even as we grieved, we grew;
that even as we hurt, we hoped;
that even as we tired, we tried;
that we’ll forever be tied together, victorious,
not because we will never again know defeat
but because we will never again sow division.
Scripture tells us to envision
that everyone shall sit under their own vine and fig tree
and no one shall make them afraid.
If we’re to live up to our own time
then victory won’t lie in the blade
but in all the bridges we’ve made.
That is the promise to glade,
the hill we climb
if only we dare it,
because being American is more than a pride we inherit —…”
Well, I can certainly understand how these words can cause confusion and indoctrinate children. This obviously requires nay indoctrinates one to accept critical race theory, and it is eminently clear the complainant, Daily Salinas, is justified in her concern.
In her complaint she refers specifically to the passage that opened this piece,
We've braved the belly of the beast.
We've learned that quiet isn't always peace,
And the norms and notions of what "just is"
Isn't always justice.
And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it.
Somehow, we do it.
Somehow, we've weathered and witnessed
A nation that isn't broken, but simply
unfinished.
Amanda Gorman, “The Hill We Climb”
Now the media claimed the books were “banned” from the school, which is not the case. Instead, they were removed from the elementary school level and sequestered at the middle school level.
One might argue that if there are kids in the school system competent enough to read that poem at the elementary school level, it reflects well on the system. Yet isolating specific material to age-appropriate access is the responsibility of the school administration.
But I suspect the reason used to justify the move is all smoke and mirrors. First, look at the complaint itself. It says the poem will “cause confusion and indoctrinate students.”
While parents should be involved in the school curriculum, it doesn’t mean they can demand that a confirmation of their own ignorance be part of the program.
Joe Broadmeadow
There is no mention of age appropriateness. So either the administration didn’t bother reviewing the books before they were on the shelves or they needed a convenient excuse to remove them and came up with the perfect cover story of age appropriate.
The poem and the related books discuss and illustrate the long-existing discrimination still rampant within the country. Something many would prefer to ignore as just a vestige of history and not relevant to public discourse today. And since prejudice and bigotry is a learned trait, isn’t confronting it as early as possible a better solution?
While parents should be involved in the school curriculum, it doesn’t mean they can demand that a confirmation of their own ignorance be part of the program.
If a parent were to demand all references to the Holocaust be removed from the school because they believe it never happened, would we comply? If a parent demanded the helio-centric theory of the solar system be banned because their religious tradition puts the earth at the center of the universe, would we allow it? If a parent demanded their female child only be taught practical domestic skills because they believe only a man should make all decisions within a family, would we ban all references to equality between men and women?
I think not.
There is also the fear—based primarily on willful ignorance—of “Critical Race Theory” (CRT), which has existed since the 1960s.
CRT gave rise to Critical Legal Studies (CLT), which claim that since legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1965, new laws have been devised to maintain the status quo within society and codify the biases against marginalized groups. Think of restrictive voting regulations and the watering down of anti-discrimination statutes.
Thus the convenient limiting of certain books and the rising trend of banning and restricting access.
I am sure there is also an element of laziness associated with this. Using an automated checkout device in a school library is much less costly or labor intensive than having a librarian monitor the material being checked out.
But this same technology could flag material based on the library id of the student and require an adult to allow the book’s checkout. Much like a 19-year-old grocery clerk asking me for my date of birth when I try to check out a bottle of wine at the supermarket.
So let’s not kid ourselves here. I’m willing to bet if a middle school student at that school tried to find the book, it would not be an easy task.
The road to hell may be paved with good intentions, but covert actions of a more nefarious sort paint the lane markings.
Ms. Salinas and those who cheered the cause of banning that which they do not or will not understand got it wrong because they missed the poem’s best part.
And the real point here is the insidious and continuing spread of this vile and patently bigoted propaganda of indoctrination and “recruitment” of children.
Ms. Salinas is just another blind sheep following the Siren’s call of racism dressed up as conservative educational policy.
While educational material should always be age appropriate, it should not be compromised by those who refuse to accept there are different views of the world and different paths through life.
Given the choice, I would wager Ms. Salinas and those who agree with her would have all this material banned from all grades because it contradicts their view of history and reality. The administration is to be commended for keeping the material at an appropriate level, but I would keep a wary eye on just how supportive they really are of utilizing a wide spectrum of material to offer a well-rounded education.
Given the current trend in Florida, and the potential for one of the chief architects of these restrictive policies to become President, we must be vigilant in recognizing bigotry and hatred no matter how benign it may seem on the surface.
There are no better words to describe the situation in this country than those of Amanda Gorman herself…
A nation that isn't broken, but simply
unfinished...
Amanda Gorman “The Hill We Climb”
In case you’ve never read the poem, here it is. Read it, I promise you will not be assimilated into the Borg.
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/01/amanda-gormans-inauguration-poem-the-hill-we-climb/
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