Black history month bias?

Question

In my opinion I think Black history month is really bias in the educational system. Why? There are many other races in America who has helped make a difference in making what this country is. We hardly hear anything positive about the Asian Americans who had made a difference and the strife that they had been through, same thing about the mid eastern Americans.

As an Asian person, it was hard for me to be proud of my heritage when all that I've learned at school was that my country was poor, and we like to create war, and how Asian people had nothing to do with how America is right now. That's unfair. Did you know that what the Germans did to the Jews in WWII is somewhat what the Americans did to the Asians? But do we learn anything about that? No! I think the lack of diversifying the educational system is insulting.

What do you think?

If you want to diverse the educational system, make February as "Diversity Month". A month to embrace the worlds diversity. Or America.

Opinion?

Answer 1

I think that it isn't fair to criticize a group that fought hard to get what they had just because your own group hasn't gotten the same thing yet.  I have nothing against Black history month, and would have nothing against an Asian-American history month either.  I think most of us could learn a lot (although I really object to your comment that Americans did to Asians what Germans did to the Jews - we killed 6 million of you?  What happened with the internment camps was extremely reprehensible, but not the same thing the Germans did to the Jews!).  Keep in mind that Black history month and women's history months are relatively new, and both women and African-Americans have constituted significant proportions of the U.S. population for centuries.  That isn't really true of Asian- (other than in Hawaii) or Arab-Americans yet, and I imagine that with time, we will see more about those groups as well.

I don't like the alternative of a "diversity month".  We would be learning about diversity, not about the contributions of a particular group of people.

Answer 2

I try to embrace diversity in my middle school classroom.  I did not celebrate Black History MONTH in my classroom, but we do a substantial unit on influential black Americans every February.  During each school year, I try to expose the kids to 3 or 4 nationalities--preferably during a holiday that they may celebrate (and bring in food for a taste of the culture :o)  They change from year to year depending on who we may have in the class (and basically, my whim).  This year we did a unit on Cinco de Mayo (complete with history & Mexican food), Chinese New Year (history & I had a friend come in a do a mini-lesson on Tai Chi), Russian Orthodox Easter (with a craft with egg drawing) , etc... One year I had a student from Kenya and the mom brought in music and clothing to share with the class (I was spellbound!)  

I am an Arab-American, so I may be biased when I agree that Diversity Month would be better....especially when MLK's life and efforts are celebrated on a Federal level in February and that by itself would focus the history of African Americans ....but it is what it is.  

I would hope that teachers already embrace the thought of exposing their students to as many cultures as possible as part of the education process.

Answer 3

I think you make really good points, but I don't know how you'd go about changing February. There would be a lot of opposition.  Maybe you could use this idea to write a paper in class some day.

Answer 4

Thats a good point. I think there should be such a month. but for those who speak of white history month.. thats d**n near every other month of the year. I think there should be more diveristy tought in general with respect to the history of this country.

But in a way if feel your denagrading the struggle of African Americans, let it be known that  American Americans have endored more hardship and injustice then any other race that has existed in the history of the earth, whether it be Asian, Mexican, Jews etc. More Blacks died in the middle passage then the Jews in the holocaust and the Japanesse in WW2 combined!!! Not including the murders and rape that occured in over 400 years of slavery. ..

But i think we are all americans and should have equal representation.

Answer 5

Trust me i brought this up before.

asian history month is celebrated in may.

i could go on for hours talking about this, but then people would think im racist.

Answer 6

Asians have not the roots that blacks do ..at least not the quantity back from the start of the USA. Also Asians did not

suffer on slave ships and traded like market goods and how many Asians fought in the Civil War ....Also were asians segregated from going to school with the"WHITE FOLK"..?

Asians do not have near the quantity nor the quality of history that the Blacks do.....Blacks invented the Blues, therefore Jazz, SCOTT JOPLIN...Ragtime....Asians are great in there realm in the far east....karate etc..food, Mathmatics, the first compass, the first maybe musical instrument ( a turtle shell with 1 string) , Great Wall, I love the Yin Yang  and Geisha, brilliant people.....just middle east people and Asians and other non- European people do not come near the time nor the torture nor the involvement the AFRICAN AMERICANS have endured..................Mike...(Caucasi...

Answer 7

while every race has a crying hanky I agree with your comment on why some do and some don't get recognition for the efforts in each country. We get that in Canada too right now the biggy in about being a minority. so all of a sudden the other white people are what? we have wrongs done in all cultures no matter what they may be. so skin colour only exemplifies this depending where you are on the planet and with what crowd. Who knows maybe one day we can complain because were from planet earth and nothing like those others living and born on the planet MARS lol.

One day we may actually learn to get over ourselves. Be proud if you are not going to judge others then you are making improvements.

Answer 8

I totally agree. Black people always have fought to be treated equally and if that's so true then we should have white history month or mexican history month or native american history month or asian history month. it's not right. unfair.

Answer 9

You mean like the Nippo-americans who were placed in camps during our war w/Japan(WWII) even if their sons were figthing for our nations  freedom and dying on the front-lines.A very shamefull thing. Yes!.We don't hear an awefull lot about that. Question do they not make afro-avatars?

Answer 10

im black and find it embarrassing to have a month dedicated to my race...well not so much now but in school i did because pretty much the rest of the school was all white.

i would love to learn more about other races like natives and asians...but in a way that isn't boring. lol

i just want to move on and not get special privileges or treated differently for stuff i have never experienced as a like, 6th generation american/canadian.

Answer 11

I hate to tell you this but the big difference is that Asian children as a statical whole are not failing out of school, rejecting education, or being imprisoned at 6 times the rate of Caucasians. This isn't about being fair, or where is white history month or anything like that. There are major concerns surrounding empowering African American children, and there are a lot of programs to try to help, black history month being one of them. Now this doesn't mean that all African American children have problems academically obviously, but you would have to be completely blind to all the available data from every state to not see that as a whole, this is a very big concern.

As for what the Americans did to Asians, they were at one point treated like slaves, during parts of the civil war period, and they were put in detainment camps during the WWII period- but they were not treated like the Jews.

Answer 12

I've been told Black History month is offensive to african americans because it is in the shortest month of the year! It takes all kinds, but very good point. Will never happen though....

Answer 13

As An African American I agree that The lack of diversifying the educational system is insulting to all races. I do think however being in the school system that there are many changes being made to help all students understand the differences in all ppl. many of the schools have international day where they are to pick two countries study them for two months and at the end of those months have a display of important ppl, places, contributions and inventions.

Although this only happens once a year along with every other holiday its a good thing to know about the differences in ppl.

My opinion is that every parent should teach their child about their heritage and to embrace who they are  and where they come from. We can't expect the school system t do so. So hold your head up high about WHO U R!

Answer 14

I agree 100%. Everyone should be treated as an equel including whites. "white history month".........could you imagine lol! I am not racist....but I am getting sick and tired of race card being plaid all the time. and it is like it is making a big come back. Just let it be......geeze.

Answer 15

Personally, I have Unity Month which includes Black History Month. But to answer your question, you really need to look at the history of Black History Month. There was a time in this country when the contributions of blacks was ignored. In the early days of education, blacks were not even allowed to participate. When they did have separate schools, imagine learning history where you did not even see yourself in the history. It would have been as if you didn't exist. This was the reason for the start of a Black history Month. As far as adding Asian Americans and Hispanics, I am all for it. But please don't discount the importance of this vital information. Right now, we as teachers are fighting a battle to teach ALL students. It is important for these students to see that someone like them can achieve in this world. This is what I think Diverse studies do. Another are I would like to see explored is showing contributions of those with Disabilities.

Answer 16

Poor comparison to the Germans and Americans.  HUGE DIFFERENCE between the holocaust and dropping 2 nuclear bombs.  They are both horrific events but don't compare the two.  I agree with you about the black history month though.  Good idea about the diversity month.  Maybe we can get a diversity tv channel instead of BET also.

Answer 17

I totally agree.  There is an Asian heritage month, but I can't even remember when it is.  That's how little it's acknowledged.  I think the difference is that the African Americans had to be appeased because they were brought here against their will.  I'm not saying anything against blacks, but the other races immigrated here of their own free will, and so it was understood that they were choosing to adopt the American way of life.  Their countries of origin were their past.  By the way, please don't take this as racism.  I'm Filipino, and a first generation American.

Answer 18

AGREED!

WHERES THE ASIAN HISTORY MONTH!!!!! >:O

Answer 19

I once had a student ask me why I was teaching about African Americans outside of February, and I asked "I can only teach about African Americans in February?  Who gets the rest of the months?"  I ask the same question here.  It's rhetorical question because we all know who normally gets the rest of the school year unless you're an insightful, well-rounded teacher who teaches diversity all year around.

Answer 20

i totally disagree with that. i love asian ppl, my best friend is Japanese