With American education under threat, we have to remember where we've been
On the heels of a historic anniversary, our country is reminded of how far we've come, and how much work remains, through the lens of education.
May 17th marked 71 years since the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision affirmed that education must be available and equitable to all. Yet the Department of Justice's recent removal of 1960s era safeguards to monitor school desegregation in Louisiana, and potentially other southern states, threatens the spirit of that landmark ruling.
Further, education is facing other serious challenges across our country, at underfunded public schools and well-endowed colleges and universities alike. One of the greatest challenges is an attack on the very foundation of education via the ongoing threats to free thought and critical inquiry.
Without these essential tenets, we weaken our collective ability to reach our full potential as individuals and as community. We run the risk of misremembering the past, not understanding our present and moving into the future without clear purpose or direction.
More: Tennessee sees surge in books banned in public schools. Here's which ones and why
Elementary and secondary education are at the heart of this struggle. This is where students learn about the trials and tribulations of our country—and where they learn to question, empathize and think critically, so that they can become engaged citizens as adults.
When these opportunities are minimized for young people, we are all lessened.
Higher education is not immune. Universities—traditionally places for open dialogue and rigorous debate—are under increasing pressure to curtail discussions on diversity and inclusion. Professors and students who challenge conventional perspectives face growing resistance. And even our most prestigious institutions are being pushed toward a simplified version of education that hesitates to confront uncomfortable truths.
This moment demands reflection on who we aspire to be in the future, as well as a collective resistance to return to where we've been in the past. It's about preserving the American tradition of free inquiry and robust debate. After all, a healthy democracy relies on citizens who can think independently, engage respectfully with different viewpoints and hold leaders—and each other—accountable.
Institutions like the National Civil Rights Museum play a vital role in maintaining this spirit. The Ruby Bridges Reading Festival, for example, provides children with access to important books by established and emerging authors, including many whose works are being banned elsewhere.
Opinion: Tennessee can teach American exceptionalism and also end its book ban frenzy
A museum Freedom Award honoree, Ruby Bridges is a civil rights activist who was the first Black student to integrate an all-white elementary school in New Orleans in 1960, when she was just six years old. Bridges was born in Mississippi in 1954, the same year the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision ordering the integration of public schools.
The Festival, named in her honor, is a commitment to ensuring future generations understand the full story of our nation's struggles and achievements.
History shows us that when education is constrained, societies become more vulnerable to division and authoritarianism. When curiosity and empathy are discouraged, the foundations of community and democracy weaken.
Protecting education is a shared responsibility. It means ensuring that our schools and universities remain places of truth, inquiry and understanding. It means supporting teachers, empowering students and encouraging leaders to champion open dialogue rather than fear.
Freedom starts with an educated mind. By investing in honest education, we invest in a stronger, more resilient America. The stakes are high.
Together, we must choose a path of hope, unity and thoughtful engagement.
Dr. Russ Wigginton is the president of the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Education is under attack in the US. We can't forget history. | Opinion
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