Have You Heard #199 Dangerous Learning, Dangerous Times
May 29, 2025
Legal scholar Derek Black, a critic of anti-DEI measures during the Trump era, delves into the constitutional implications of ‘loyalty oaths’ in schools. He connects historical struggles for Black literacy to today's educational censorship, emphasizing how such measures threaten democracy’s foundations. Black advocates for robust public education as essential to free speech and due process, urging collective action and resilience in the face of adversity. His insights provoke thought on the narrative of American identity and the role of literature in fostering courage against oppression.
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Education Attacks Threaten Democracy
- The Trump administration's attacks on public education target democracy's core: free speech and due process.
- Imposing loyalty oaths on school officials is a constitutional overreach threatening democratic principles.
Danger of Simplistic Narratives
- Simplistic narratives imposed for political agendas erase nuance and shut down debate.
- This rhetoric mirrors the South's suppression of dissent pre-Civil War, accelerating social and political conflict.
Attacking Schools Erodes Democracy
- Undermining public education cripples faith in government, a key step towards eroding democracy.
- Public schools are the most trusted institution, so attacking them fosters broad societal distrust.
