In the Bible, Psalm 52:3 warns about people who “love lying more than speaking the truth.”

That’s a perfect description of current attempts to force a dishonest view of American history on our schools. Groups like the Center of the American Experiment, who came to Mankato last week, don’t want to tell the truth about times we’ve failed to provide equal opportunities to racial minorities. They’d rather teach our students lies that make us feel better about ourselves.

Throughout our history, courageous leaders and inspired movements have brought our nation closer to its founding ideal of the equality of all humans, and we should continue to celebrate them.

Yet we’ve repeatedly fallen short of achieving liberty and justice for all. The enslavement of Black people, followed by a century of lynchings and Jim Crow laws. Abusive boarding schools for Native American children. Housing covenants restricting the sale of property to non-White families. These and other wrongs were sponsored and promoted by our own government, and they created racial disparities that still exist today.

It’s wishful thinking to deny that racist policies and actions are a significant part of American history. Our students deserve to learn the truth about our nation, both its triumphs and its failures.

Honestly confronting the past can be painful, but it’s necessary to achieve a better future. We must choose the truth over lies, for as the Bible also reminds us, knowing the truth will set us free (John 8:32).

Blake Couey

St. Peter

React to this story:

7
0
0
0
1