Editor,
First, please note that I am writing as a nonbiased citizen of Carmel with regard to religion and spirituality. Both have been proven to provide essential support to people who are struggling with physical and mental health crises, regardless of their beliefs. It is in this context that I am expressing my shock and disappointment regarding the approach to teaching accurate U.S. history to our students at Carmel High School.
My son is a student in an advanced placement U.S. history class. Recently, the students were informed that they would be watching a movie documenting not only the horrors of the Holocaust, but also efforts to save Jews from the gas chambers. However, students were told that they could only watch the movie if their parents/guardians signed a permission slip. In my opinion, this is highly offensive. I view this requirement as tantamount to requiring parents/guardians to give students permission to learn about Black history. Promoting ignorance about uncomfortable topics in U.S. history fosters a narrow view of what needs to be a comprehensive understanding of our past. Public schools are for teaching students about the realities of the world without biases.
Dr. Anne Conley-Goldstein, Carmel, clinical child psychologist
