If Black lives matter, stop resisting the teaching of our history in schools – The Black Wall Street Times

In January, Black lawmakers in Mississippi withheld their vote in the Senates attempt to pass a bill banning critical race theory. Lord, I cant believe people are still on this!

Make this make sense for me: Kids are too young to learn critical race theory and their role in dismantling systems of white supremacy in a country that preaches equality. Yet, theyre not too young to internalize privilege, stereotypes and hate for Black people?

Thats actually a rhetorical questionno one can make it make sense because it doesnt! Its resistance to whats become a politically charged framework being used as a justification for the continued erasure of Blackness and whitewashing of American history in public education.

See, I knew this Black lives matter sentiment wasnt going to last too longI called it when everybody jumped on the bandwagon after George Floyd was lynched in public. And since then, weve seen more Black lives stolen in white rage.

Truth be told, our lives only matter when it comes to sustaining structures of capitalism and white supremacy. They matter when America wants us to stop burning shit down in protest of racism and oppression. They matter when elected officials need our vote. And they matter big time when yall need our kids in these raggedy-ass schools.

This rolling ban and criticism of teaching critical race theory has become a grander pile of shit in the existing cesspool of policies and practices that are anti-diversity, culture and truth. Bottom line, theyve politicized and polarized critical race theory to keep public education the sameoppressive, biased and basic. And while we do have lawmakers trying to protect our rights and represent our history, theyre outnumbered by the ones that want to make America great again

Meanwhile, our kids will continue to sit in schools where theres no accurate representation of their history or identity, no teachers that look like them, and in company with other students whothrough their parents, media or socialized normsthink its O.K. to judge, look down on or mistreat people whoappear to be different from them.

The system will continue to teach our kids that slave owners were upstanding gentlemen. As if they were patriots that saved uncivilized Africans by bringing them to America and giving them jobs, our history lessons often reinforce white savior-ship and privilege.

Black people, these lawmakers are counting on us to just take their word for it and trust that theyre acting in all of our interest. They want us to believe our lives matter in the long run, but I hope we know that their racism and privilege continue to manifest in policies and practices. Their actions say otherwise.

I hope we know that they use scary language like indoctrination of youth to befuddle the masses in their crusade to curb truth and representation in education.

I hope our kids are smart enough to question and challenge what theyre being taught. Because if everythings all good in the hood, equality is real, and race doesnt matter, then whyd we need a Civil Rights movement in the 60s and a Black Lives Matter movement now?

I hope were aware of the Karens who call themselves parent advocacy groups but are really modern day women of the Klan. Manyhave harassed and threatened the lives of Black school administrators for attempting to diversify curriculum and leadership in school districts.

Finally, I hope well one day remove our kids from this system that hates who they are, who they came from and what they could be. Their self-actualization can be realized and will be embraced in schools built by us, for ustrue Freedom Schools.

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If Black lives matter, stop resisting the teaching of our history in schools - The Black Wall Street Times