tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939909775405220345.post4665563306571622557..comments2024-03-01T10:16:11.283-08:00Comments on AmericanStudies: June 18-19, 2016: ApologyStudying: Apologizing for America?AmericanStudierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06483077716534996778noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939909775405220345.post-61233520459120764002016-07-01T18:09:13.775-07:002016-07-01T18:09:13.775-07:00Thanks so much for adding these great thoughts, Sh...Thanks so much for adding these great thoughts, Shelli!AmericanStudierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06483077716534996778noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3939909775405220345.post-71292852247191766922016-06-20T18:50:46.710-07:002016-06-20T18:50:46.710-07:00I wonder about the cycle of the american exception...I wonder about the cycle of the american exceptionalism and denial connected to education. As I mentioned, I learned about Japanese internment from Danielle Steele (due to my grandmother's failing eye sight), but it was not mentioned at all in any of my formal education, even in college. <br /><br />Within the last month I have visited several plantations turned into state parks and the information from the guides has been factually incorrect when it comes to dates and events, while the language used causes me to cringe. At the state run plantations, the guides referred to the enslaved/slaves as simply the "plantation workers" or started a sentence with "the silver lining of slavery was..." I have left every tour confused. This was government sponsored information.<br /><br />So when I wonder about the cycle connected to education, would the American government taking responsibility for these events or "dark histories" change the way they are represented? Would these educational spaces start getting real about the events? Or, would the education need to change to enable citizen's to hold the government accountable? I spend a lot of time teaching history in my classes because students knowledge of American history is extremely limited and in the vein of American exceptionalism.<br /><br />-SHSHomerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09843450073720369931noreply@blogger.com