Given the myriad crises our country now confronts, who would have
guessed that among them would be how we teach American history? Nev
ertheless, as a new school year begins, the content, presentation and teach
ing of US history are in the news almost daily. Should statues honoring civil
war figures—at least those from the losing side—or former slaveholders be
retained? Do we need to change the names of streets or buildings if they
bear the names of historical figures that do not satisfy present moral or po
litical sensibilities? Should history texts be rewritten to diminish their em
phasis on our flawed heroes while increasing the teaching of racial, ethnic
and gender minorities? In short, should we be about the business of eras
ing, rewriting, apologizing for, protecting against, knocking down or cover
ing up our history as many have proposed?
The recent controversy over historic murals at George Washington High
School in San Francisco presents a microcosm of the problems. A 1936
painting depicting the life of George Washington shows two features that
some found troublesome: White settlers standing over the body of a Native
American and slaves working at Washington’s estate. Some students, faculty
and parents said the mural was racist and offensive. Others said no, it tells
the truth about that era and should be seen. Still others said, regardless of
the historical questions, it is a work of art and should remain. Washington
High graduate, actor Danny Glover, said, “Art has to make us feel uncom
fortable. That’s what art does.”
Initially the school board decided to do away with the mural but after a
hue and cry from many—including minority groups and artists—it reversed
course and, by a one-vote margin, concluded it would cover them up at a
cost of over $600,000. The sense was that showing the art would trauma
tize students and others in the community, but that destroying it perma
nently went too far. At the root of the debate is whether such depictions
are appropriate for learning from our history or, alternatively, whether his
tory must be presented in a way that does not offend.
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