Tennessee can teach American exceptionalism and also end its book ban frenzy

Yahoo

18-02-2025

My recent conversation with six Mt. Juliet High School students about book bans revealed something adults should all appreciate: young people are a lot smarter than we think.
The students − three Republicans and three Democrats − shared their sincere beliefs during a panel discussion at the school in late January that complements The Tennessean's new series, which launched Sunday, called "Class Disrupted," written by my colleagues, Children's Reporter Rachel Wegner and First Amendment Reporter Angele Latham.
The journalists reported that since the Tennessee General Assembly passed the 2022 Age-Appropriate Materials Act, nearly 1,400 books spanning more than 1,100 individual titles have been removed from school libraries across the state.
Tomes like "Pinkalicious," "Game of Thrones" and George Orwell's classic "Animal Farm" are banned from at least one county school library.
The students I spoke to were more interested in their personal safety at school and mental health needs than in being denied the chance to read a book adults might find controversial or objectionable for whatever reason.
"I think people have made such a big deal out of these book bans," said Jackson Sanders, 17, leader of Mt. Juliet High's Young Republicans chapter. "It's now become a big priority in schools, and I just disagree with it. ... I just think there's so many more topics that could benefit people more than just book bans."
Jackson is wise for his years, and state elected leaders should heed his message as they consider expanding civics education across the state.
See for yourself: Tennessee sees surge in books banned in public schools. Here's which ones and why
During his Feb. 10 State of the State address, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee proposed expanding the reach of the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee to K-12 students to "learn about the founding principles that make America the greatest country on earth."
'One way we strengthen tradition is by teaching civics and American exceptionalism,' Lee said.
An exceptional part of this nation's design is that we can acknowledge mistakes of the past by amending the U.S. Constitution.
Amendments like the 13th (ending slavery), 14th (birthright citizenship) and 15th (voting rights for Black men) would not have been necessary had it not been for the institution of slavery. The 19th Amendment extended the voting franchise to women in 1920 and Tennessee was the pivotal 36th state to ratify it.
The 24th Amendment eliminated poll taxes in response to rectifying the institutional racial segregation under Jim Crow laws that kept many Black voters from the ballot box.
These reflect an uncomfortable part of history that caused government to adopt laws and policies protecting every American's civil rights and the shot to compete for an equal opportunity.
In recent years, the legislature has banned curriculum in K-12 and higher education under the guise of critical race theory and allowed for the banning of books that parents or community members may find offensive or uncomfortable.
Opinion: Tennessee school library legislation is a win for parents, despite what critics say
In 2021, I wrote a column in response to these efforts, saying: "State-sanctioned erasure of any lesson should bring chills to citizens in a free society, especially as these decisions were made in haste and in response to the politics of the day."
How can teachers educate students on complex narratives in history if they are required to omit what actually happened? They must resort then to teach propaganda and fail to satisfy the intellectual curiosity of young minds.
At least 11 tomes banned in Monroe County are about the Holocaust.
Jan. 27 is Holocaust Remembrance Day and I had the privilege of presenting at Vanderbilt University's We Are Here concert, honoring Holocaust survivors, their stories and their memories through music.
This occurred on a private university campus, not a public K-12 school, but it does not mean public school children should be denied lessons on tough topics in history.
The state's Social Studies Standards introduces concepts at various grade level regarding slavery, women's rights and the Holocaust, which are necessary for students to get a more comprehensive understanding of history.
As federal and state leaders seek to ban discussions or mentions of gender identity, sexual orientation, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, they further erode freedom, which is a fundamental part of American exceptionalism.
We should not be about censorship. While parents should have a say in what their children read, avoid blanket bans that punish all children − some whose parents might want them exposed to diverse narratives.
'Is this harming (kids) or is it just something that makes you a little uncomfortable?' said Ava Craighead, 15, Gallatin High School.
Another wise observation from a Middle Tennessee student.
America and Tennessee need more civics education, but it should be about expanding knowledge not restricting history only to the parts that make our leaders feel comfortable.
David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee. He is an editorial board member of The Tennessean. He hosts the Tennessee Voices videocast and curates the Tennessee Voices and Latino Tennessee Voices newsletters. Call him at [phone], email him at [e-mail] or find him on X at @davidplazas or BlueSky at davidplazas.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee needs fewer book bans, more civics education | Opinion