Every February in the United States, Black History Month finds schools focusing a chunk of their curriculum towards teaching students about African-Americans who have made positive contributions to the country’s advancement as a society. According to PS 201, an elementary discovery and research institution in Flushing, Queens, Malcolm X was not one of those positive Black figures. Check out the details!
NYDailyNews: Teachers at Public School 201 in Flushing told fourth-graders last week that the controversial activist was “violent” and “bad.” They also refused to let the kids write about the assassinated icon for Black History Month. Children were asked to pick from several prominent black leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and Malcolm X for the project, Minor said. City Department of Education officials said they were looking into the matter and would not defend it.
How ignorant is this? How can a teacher force their personal opinion of someone on a body of students? Regardless of anyone’s opinion of Malcolm X, he is a HUGE part of black history, and it is imperative for young minds to study and know who this man was, and what his journey was all about. Shame on this school. You see, knowledge is a weapon, why do you think they didn’t allow slaves to learn how to read and write?
