Eliminating Race and Other Contested Topics From the School Curriculum: Implications for Our Democracy

• In Event: Banning Books and Censoring Curriculum: Evidence From the Educational Battlegrounds

Abstract

This paper addresses recent statewide censorship of what is taught in K-12 schools, with particular emphasis on implications for school personnel and policy makers who want to dismantle racial injustice. The escalating censorship primarily has been orchestrated by advocacy groups or elected officials, often resulting in state legislation. Overwhelmingly, materials barred deal with racial or LGBTQ issues, although other types of sexuality and profanity are also being banned. Some of the restrictions require recasting our country’s history, which will have a significant impact on the socialization of the next generation of citizens. It is critical for students to have access to accurate information about our nation’s failures as well as successes in addressing its increasingly diverse population.

Author

• Martha M. McCarthy, Loyola Marymount University