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On Jan. 12, the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Articulation threatened to cut the Advanced Placement African American studies course. College Board, the organization that manages AP courseworks, later presented a whitewashed version of the curriculum that can instead be taught to students in Florida, intentionally aiming to erase people of color and gloss over the United States’ history of discrimination. Those for the new curriculum presented by the Florida Department of Education saw this as a win, even though College Board has denied that threats made to cut out AP African American studies swayed their decisions.

The suggested curriculum only keeps history that was approved by Florida’s education system, leaving out discussion or education on critical race theory, the Black Lives Matter movement, reparations and Black incarceration. Rather than leaving in topics that can lead to in-depth conversation about race in this country, it was removed, leaving behind what right-leaning politicians deem fit.

This year alone, 13 states established laws or regulations on what can be taught surrounding race and Black history, and even how it can be discussed.

The American education system needs to incorporate critical thought, discussion and debate surrounding race within classrooms. This is evident when politicians are unable to see the racist language in their legislation, which confirms how deeply inequality is embedded within our laws.

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Running from issues regarding race does not make discrimination disappear. Only when you teach students history and strive to cultivate classrooms that urge critical thinking can we take steps toward equity. Preserving Black, Indigenous and other people of color’s history and furthering thought-provoking conversations can start locally in the city of Syracuse, an ancestral homeland and territory of the Onondaga people.

In Syracuse, where the population is nearly 30% Black, discussions on race within classrooms and the wider community are still not perfect. For city officials, whether policies can have a positive impact can best be determined if officials have the knowledge and ability to understand how race plays a role in creating hurdles through systematic government. That understanding starts in the classroom.

Highway I-81, for example, is the result of redlining and could’ve been avoided. Before the construction of I-81, the 15th Ward was already a segregated neighborhood. Due to zoning laws, Syracuse was divided by economic background.

This is still a reality we see in the present — housing discrimination laws have been outlawed for almost 60 years, but the remnants of redlining and segregation still linger.

Currently, zoning laws that have kept Syracuse neighborhoods segregated based on race and income are under review. It is vital for residents to look at the current draft to see whether the new ordinances continue or dismantle racist zoning laws. The fate of Pioneer Homes is an important example to look towards when it comes to repeating past mistakes that lead to structural segregation and the displacement of a community. Both federal and local governments have contributed to the segregation and barriers placed against Black and other marginalized communities.

How can our present or future leaders support their diverse communities if anything that highlights such activism is labeled as “un-American, divisive and uncomfortable?” When voters and city officials don’t have a background knowledge of critical race theory or racial history, the chance of reimplementing policies that result in no solutions or results are higher.

Following the footsteps of the past starts by preserving history, by understanding and discussing the full scope of systematic racism in our city. Historical knowledge and the skill of critical thinking bring long term solutions to issues such as gun violence, segregation, the public education system and police brutality, all of which are issues current political leaders in Syracuse are addressing now.

At Syracuse University, we can use the history of Syracuse to create policies on campus and broaden incoming students’ education on systemic oppression. While classes such as First Year Seminar make the attempt, students do not often leave class with a connection to the city or its history, or a more focused and positive outlook on the community off campus.

Offering students a well-rounded academic experience includes providing spaces to discuss race. It can result in marginalized students feeling more seen and safe on campus, but also for students to recognize where and how to make changes in school policy. It takes an understanding of both the societal and discriminatory hurdles in place to understand the systems that are currently in place.

Prevalent issues, as seen during #NotAgainSU and the rampant dismissal of rape culture on this campus, can better be tackled if students understood how the systems in place may work against them. Education is not just a tool to learn from history, but a way to see where past leaders left off to continue their work as well. To reform or reconstruct systems in place that cause harm, understanding the root of those systems is then vital. The result is then students have the ability to have conversations surrounding race and actually create effective change within broken systems.

Sarhia Rahim is a Sophomore Policy Studies Major. Her Column appears bi-weekly. She can be reached at [email protected].

Published on February 13, 2023 at 11:49 pm