Barbara Guthrie and Jim Henry
May 17, 2021
In the recent school board election, one candidate voiced opposition to HB 198, which would require integrating Black history throughout the school year rather than relegating it to just one month. Improving proficiency in math and reading were offered as a more pressing issue.
Experienced teachers recognize this false dichotomy, as if teaching Black history necessarily compromises teaching reading and math. For years now, educational research has demonstrated that the old “skills and drills” and rote memorization approaches to learning - frequently associated with developing proficiency because of the standardized tests so often used to measure progress - are far less effective in student learning than devising activities that teach skills in context. Black history can provide that context in tandem with other contexts.