Kids should learn the uglier parts of history

Hearing about Iowa Republican legislators’ plans to teach history through their idea of patriotism got me to thinking about rainbows. We can talk about them factually (raindrops refracting light), poetically (Kermit, Dorothy) or by folklore (pots o’ gold). Falsely equating those three is a dangerous basis for public policy decisions.

Do we really disrespect our children that much to sentence them to grow up in a world where every chapter of every textbook we put in their hands should probably start out ‘Once upon a time…’?

Just teach our kids the facts, good and bad. They have the right to know what has been done in our name. I promise, the forefathers (and mothers) wouldn’t mind. In fact, they’d insist upon it.

Wayne Clayton

Anamosa