Education on racism is essential; to ban the “critical theory of race” is not | Editorial

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The Burlington teacher should have pointed out to the students that no evidence of widespread fraud was found that could have changed the outcome of the 2020 election results. Biden won and Trump lost. The fair election is over.

Still, the Burlington professor taught at least one important lesson: don’t live in a bubble, he told his students. You are already in one if you have blocked friends who disagree with you on social media, all the trusted people in your life are ideologically aligned, you only get news from pleasant sources, you refuse to discuss or respect political differences.

Rather than looking for offenses in classrooms, state lawmakers should trust local school boards, teachers and students to foster open discussions, including on race and racism. Students should know the harsh and disturbing truth about slavery, segregation, the Tuskegee experience and the Tulsa massacre, for example. They need and want to study current events, such as the murder of George Floyd by the police.

Our nation has many flaws and challenges. It has also come a long way, thanks to the freedoms we enjoy.

It is essential to teach our nations the history of the good, the bad, the ugly and the inspiration. Trying to ban critical race theory is not.

Wisconsin State Journal Editorial Board

Opinions expressed in editorials are shaped by the board of directors, regardless of news coverage decisions elsewhere in the newspaper.

STAFF MEMBERS

CHRISTOPHER T. WHITE, President and Editor

JASON ADRIANS, editor

SCOTT MILFRED, Editorial Page Editor

PHIL HANDS, editorial designer

COMMUNITY MEMBERS

JANINE GESKE

SUSAN SCHMITZ

WAYNE FORT

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