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Juneteenth — June 19th, also known as Emancipation Day — is one of the commemorations of people seizing their freedom in the United States.
This beautiful tradition of Black freedom should be taught in school.
Yet, if this administration has its way, it will be illegal to teach students about Juneteenth. Most states have passed or proposed legislation to prohibit teaching about structural racism and books are being banned from school libraries in record numbers. The president’s executive orders do the same. Their goal: to outlaw teaching about the founding of this country on slavery and genocide, as well as about the long Black freedom struggle.
Some laws ban teaching about the structures and systems that led to enslavement and how these practices continue to manifest in policing, redlining, voter suppression laws, and more.
But educators continue to teach truthfully about structural racism. They are doubling down on their commitment to teach young people about institutionalized racism and how to organize for justice.
This month, educators joined the national #TeachTruth campaign to defend the right to teach truthfully about U.S. history, immigration, the climate, Palestine, and more; to protest book bans; to defend LGBTQ+ rights; and to challenge fascism.
There are upcoming Teach Truth displays at Juneteenth festivals, including in Bridgewater, Massachusetts; Vadnais Heights, Minnesota; Potsdam, New York; Painesville, Ohio; and more.
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