Down with Zinn!

Over thirty years ago, I learned that Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States was an assigned textbook for my daughter’s high school American history class. I was assured that it was not “the” textbook. It was merely supplemental reading to expose the students to alternative views.

No big deal, I mistakenly thought.

Back then, I arrogantly believed the true essence of the American experience would come through regardless of any alternative views expressed by supplemental reading. To object would convey weakness and fear.

Today, I feel weak and fearful. Howard Zinn’s bag of garbage should be stricken from the curriculum of all elementary and high schools. High school students (and younger) cannot be trusted to select wisely among alternative views. Today’s high school teachers cannot be trusted to skillfully guide students away from inferior propositions.

Every child begins life as a stranger in a strange land. Every American child has an equal need to be assimilated into American culture. Elementary and high school are not the place for alternative views about American history.

I know absolutely nothing about the history of Paraguay. Nonetheless, I would expect that all school children in Paraguay are taught that Paraguay is a good country filled with good people. I would hope all graduates of Paraguayan schools leave the school loving Paraguay. As mentioned, I am ignorant of Paraguay’s history. Maybe it is easy to teach a love of Paraguay, maybe it is tough.

But I do know American history. America is friggen exceptional. America is the shining city on the hill. American people are friggen exceptional. Teaching a child to love America is easy. Any teacher who disagrees with this paragraph has no business teaching our children.

Tenure and academic freedom are not relevant topics for elementary and high school teachers. They are not scholars. They are employees who have a job to do. That job is to teach what the school board tells them to teach.

Thirty years ago, both major political parties loved America and Americans. Both major political parties believed in American Exceptionalism. Both major political parties understood that capitalism was good and socialism was bad. Thirty years ago, Howard Zinn’s pile of garbage was not much of a threat.

It hasn’t happened yet, but one major political party is heading towards officially standing for capitalism is bad, socialism is good; officially declaring America is no more exceptional than Paraguay; officially declaring America is systemically racist and that America’s story is a story of oppression and misery due to some Americans oppressing other Americans — officially declaring Howard Zinn’s history is accurate.

In other words, we need to kick Howard Zinn out of the classroom now while we still can.

To all readers now muttering to themselves that it is already too late, I can only unconvincingly say — better late than never. If only school boards in red states have the backbone to do it, so be it. The left has been scheming to win the hearts and minds of children for decades. The election of a guy named Mamdani says they are winning. Our resistance can’t pretend kindergarten is off limits.

To all the readers muttering to themselves that Zinn is just the tip of a very large iceberg, I grant that I agree completely. The faculty of virtually every education department in every college believes Zinn was a respected historian. The educational establishment organizations that shape the official curriculum believe American history is best understood as a cesspool of oppression. The effort to reclaim American history cannot be won quickly or easily. But future elections are decided, in part, by what is taught in sixth-grade history classes.

A fellow named Alinski once wrote about the need to pick a target. Let’s make Zinn a target. Every school board election should be a referendum on kicking Howard out of the classroom. (Not the entire school, a solitary copy can remain in the library.)

G-Pub