In the wake of violent clashes at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, this month, Democrats in the Michigan House of Representatives are pushing for legislation that would require African-American history to be taught in all public schools.
The bill, introduced in March by state Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, said the legislation, aimed at combatting racism, would require students in all grades be taught about the history and contributions of African Americans in the development of the U.S. and the world. She added that the horrific acts of violence in Charlottesville reinforce the need for such a requirement.
“We all have to do a better job of getting to know each other and understand each other,” Gay-Dagnogo said in a statement. “But it starts in our schools in educating children properly so they’re able to push back when they hear lies pushed forward about different races of people.”
The bill’s co-sponsor, Rep. Jeremy Moss, noted that while passage of the bill wouldn’t “drastically change race relations overnight,” it’s “a step in the right direction.”
