PROGRESSIVE VIEWS
In 1962, Michael Harrington published his most profound work, The Other America. The book ignited a rediscovery of the inherent unfairness and social disorder in our nation. It lit the match that resulted in President Lyndon Johnson’s war on poverty by making the depth of poverty visible in both rural and urban America. My exposure came in my high school social studies class in 1964, where a wonderful and inspiring teacher taught about the greatness of America and its constitution and exposed us to the need for addressing poverty and racism. She also exposed us to art and music but most of all to the critical thinking so necessary for us to be good citizens. Across the country and particularly in Texas, we seem to be trying to outlaw free thought and critical thinking.
Senate Bill (SB) 18, currently before the Texas Legislature, would abolish tenure in an effort to intimidate college educators to teach what folks in Austin want. House Bill (HB) 1804 would censor classroom lessons and ban books from schools and libraries, many of them about the experiences of people of color and LGBTQ folks. Bills like SB 8, which would steal money from our public schools to fund private school vouchers, are also a sad example of efforts to censor free speech. Students should receive a truthful education and access to books that reflect the diversity of our state and country. We already have a terrible law in place resulting from Senate Bill 3 approved in 2021 that censors classroom instruction and certain school conversations about race, gender, and systemic oppression. It limits the teaching of accurate, comprehensive, and truthful accounts of U.S. history, current events, and society. With a truthful, honest education we will be better equipped to solve systemic problems like poverty and racism.
