Patriotic Education Is A Facade For Censorship, and Bell County Educators Agree

The truth can be a hard pill to swallow, but avoiding it always leads to a far worse fate.

According to a report from our news partners at KWTX, Bell County educators gathered outside of the County courthouse to protest the passage of House Bill 3979. Educators explained that it is their job to teach “accurate and honest history.” Opponents of the bill were equipped with signs that read #TeachTruth and "Let the Sunshine in!".

Get our free mobile app

House Bill 3979 seeks to warp our perception of history by not allowing educators to analyze how racism has impacted politics, culture and society in the United States  - AKA critical race theory (CRT).

For some reason, just those three words send a shiver down opponents' backs.

First off, let's address why critical race theory is problematic to opponents.

1. It exposes the truth

Okay, and we're done! Actually, I might have heard some murmurs about CRT being divisive, but if you honestly know anything about CRT then you know that's far from true. It brings traditionally ignored and marginalized voices and perspectives to the table.

Governor Abbott seeks to impose patriotic education and “Texas exceptionalism” with the “1836 Project” law.

House Bill 3979 calls for placing an emphasis on teaching young Texans about the fundamental ideas and traditions behind the founding documents and institutions of the U.S. and Texas, which seems perfectly fine on the surface. However, as you dig deeper into the bill you find language that would hinder any attempt by educators to have an honest discussion with students about the ways in which many people were excluded, displaced, or exploited in favor of an idealized version of events.

Texas is a great place to live, but its history is not filled with bubblegum, rainbows, and all around good feels. Flat out, much of Texas was built on blood, bones, and sacrifice. We didn't just jump to where we are today. Texas stepped on and crushed a multitude of cultures and people. We face the effects of Texas' climb to the top, even if individually we had nothing to do with it.

Does that mean that we close our minds and act as if the past doesn't exist? Absolutely not. History is about learning from the mistakes of the past and moving forward to a better future.

As much as we may not like it, the past affects our present and our future. Denying the truth and painting over our history only hurts us, and forbidding our educators from teaching the truth is a ghastly and horrific form of censorship.