Whose history is it anyway?

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The Black Informant has a post about the recent decision of the Philadelphia School District to make African American history a requirement for highschool graduation. There is at least one typically hysterical claim from a parent about the decision.

"It's not fair. Why should it be singled out black? Why can't it be Polish, or German or Mexican?" asked Theresa Barraza, whose daughter is a second grader at Anne Frank School. "I'll put her in a Catholic school."

Look lady, the sky is not going to fall because your daughter will have to learn African American history (assuming that she is actually taught the history of people of African decent in America).

African American history is American history. Just as the stories of Polish, German, and Mexican immigrants are a part of American history. None of these stories exist in a vacuum. If you're not going to teach American children the history of all of the American people in America then you are doing those children a grave disservice. I wish people would lay off the identity politics in schools. This should not be about getting your piece of the pie. The demographics of a school shouldn't determine what history is taught either. If it happened it happened and students should know about it regardless of their ethnic make up. Elective classes featuring the contributions of local figures or teaching local history would add a great deal to anyone's education.

Students who support the new requirement argue that, "African and African American history is important to African American students." Even the children are buying into the identity politics mess. African history should be no more or less important to American children than European, South American, or Asian history. People are too busy trying to win points in the diversity game to do right by our children.

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