Black History Month

I remember in middle school and elementary school when we used to spend time in February learning about important Black Americans and their impacts in American innovation, culture and society. I never realized that we would no longer discuss any of this once we “promoted”  to high school. The only ways for Poly students to discuss or learn about even the most minute piece of Black Americans’ role in America is to take Black History or Ethnic Studies as an elective, or be lucky enough to have Sarah Schol for English.

It is beyond annoying that as an African American  I spend most of my life learning only about the accomplishments of people who look nothing like me. I feel like many people of color feel the same way that I do. In all honesty, I can’t even remember a time when we learned about Hispanic Heritage month in class.  Even when the High Life staff discussed writing about Black History Month, one staff writer didn’t even know February was Black History Month.

For this reason I feel like public education system is failing students of color in the history department and it is time something is done about about it. The district should put more emphasis for students to learn about minorities and the influence that they have in American culture.