Read the Speeches from the January 12, 2022 Stop the Teacher Gag Bill Rally organized by Defenders of Accurate History & KSVT

KSVT Rallies Youth to Oppose Bills that would Limit Free Discussion in Classrooms

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Today, the Kentucky Student Voice Team joined students and educators from across the Commonwealth to rally against two bills which, if passed, would undermine teaching and learning truthful history and accounts of current events.

Maturity Means Learning to Embrace Discomfort

What Kentucky students tell us about race & ethnicity in our schools

By Pragya Upreti

Joining me in the Rotunda today are fellow Kentucky students who traveled to Frankfort from all across the Commonwealth. We are here today, missing school, because we believe that something very important is at stake in this legislative session, and that we bring a unique perspective to the thinking around it. There has been a lot of conversation lately about what teachers should be able to teach when it comes to race and ethnicity in our schools, but what do students already know?

How Can We Heal?

The Case for a More Honest High School History Curriculum

By TaMyra Johnson

Our history curriculum needs to include everyone’s stories—not just the ones we are comfortable with. Some may argue that if we teach students about America’s disgraceful past that we will remain in it; but I argue instead that it will liberate us. Right now, history is not being taught honestly and leaves students like me, having to fill in the gaps ourselves.

Is My History Less Important?

The impact of curriculum underrepresentation in our schools

By Tyler Terrell

As a Black and Korean-American boy in Kentucky, I feel very unrepresented in my education, one centered on the perspective of the straight white man. Thinking back to elementary school, I remember hating learning about Black history. Most of the history gave me nightmares. Why would someone enslave people who look like me? Why would all people around the world hurt people who look like me?