Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Stories: Whose are Told and Whose Remain in the Margins?

Why is it that some stories are seen as "fit for children" to learn in school and some are not? What qualifies a story as being better than another or more worthy of being taught? How many stories that are a pivotal part of our history are changed to better suit one narrative or not even taught at all? And is it often an easy way for education systems to discriminate against minorities?

I feel there should be quick and easy answers to all these questions but most of the time these questions are the easiest for people to dodge around as though it were the plague. There are countless stories told of the white protagonist that saves the day, such as figures I personally learned about like Davy Crockette, The Texas Rangers, or Doc Holiday.  Yet, we fail to hear the stories that have the most impact, like stories from Ruby Bridges, Patricia de la Garza and Martin De Leon, or La Malinche who shape our history to what it is today. This does not discredit everything that the Anglo, American or European descending historical figures have done, but I think it is high time that we give the stage to stories we haven't been taught to know like the back of our hands. We should be teaching all stories, of everyone, so that everyone is represented and so no child feels like their culture it not as important as someone else's. 

There is always the question of how we integrate other cultures into our everyday lives. I think we should start just but teaching our children different culture's stories and letting them know these stories like the back of their hand. Why shouldn't they? It is knowledge and knowledge is what you send children to school to obtain anyways. I think that stories left in margins by people who do not even understand why the stories are important should be displayed everywhere for everyone so that no one can be cast aside anymore.

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