A Wyoming Republican politician is facing intense criticism after saying students should learn "different views" of slavery.
The politician, Republican Jeremy Haroldson, said during a school curriculum debate in the Wyoming House of Representatives:
"Slavery was something that shouldn't have happened in America, but it did. So slavery needs to be discussed..."
"It needs to be brought forward and the different views, that slavery was not maybe what it has been painted in this nation completely."
Obviously there is no "different side" to slavery.
Haroldson insisted to his colleagues slavery should be part of a more nuanced discussion and schools should emphasize teaching students the constitution, which he thought children seemed to know very little about.
He was then asked by Democratic Representative Cathy Connolly whether he knew what the 19th Amendment was.
Haroldson said he would have to look it up, but Connolly informed him it was the amendment that gives women the right to vote.
Perhaps Haroldson thinks students should be learning the "different views" of that piece of history as well.
Haroldson, a pastor who homeschools his children, seems to have some very extreme views of how public education should function.
The internet denounced Haroldson's ideas in the absolutely harshest terms.
Since Haroldson homeschools his children he is free to teach them whatever he wants. But his "different views" of slavery are unlikely to be imposed on public school children.
