As is evident in Texas' House Bill 3979—about which I have been blogging of late—the current attack on the teaching about racism in our state's Social Studies classrooms is a national campaign reflected in bills that are getting filed by republicans across the country.
I appreciate how award-winning teacher, Jesse Hagopian, notes the importance of the very history like the "1619 Project" that republicans seek to silence for teaching the truth about history. 
He, like teachers generally, I presume, refuses to lie to his students about the truth of our history.
Moreover, Hagopain is right in saying that the teaching of this curriculum is actually about empathy and solidarity for improving society.
We're not just teaching about oppression," he says, but also about a long history of talking across race and difference so that we can achieve great understanding across difference in a deeply divided world and society. Just as with any problem, if one doesn't name it, one cannot solve it.
Incidentally, House Bill 3979 is up for a vote on the House floor this week. Please reach out to whoever represents you to register your views and concerns. I particularly hope that educators speak up since this directly impacts their classrooms.
-Angela Valenzuela
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