Why We Teach History

This is great, thanks!

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Thank you for this. I am a social studies teacher and discuss at the start of every year why learning history is important with my classes. I do believe that many people see the value in it and know that our country's past is full of both good and bad, or 'nuanced and complex' as Kashdan states. It is concerning however to see legislation and pushes for the omission/restriction of books, topics, and discussions simply due to the fact that they may make students uncomfortable. Especially as students enter high school and college, I believe that students need to have some of those discussions and face some of these issues head-on. Dialogue and communication are essential in a system and society as varied and diverse as ours, we need more opportunities for empathy and understanding, not less.