Written By: Kenzie Kesselring

Pro: 

When it comes to American history, Caucasian men are constantly celebrated.

A white male was the first president of the United States. White males have been credited with solving some of the world’s largest problems, and have been the ones running the government since the beginning of American history.

After growing weary of being oppressed, strong women and strong African American men and women decided to make “the land of the free” a reality for all people. These incredibly independent women who desired the right to vote, equal pay for equal work and to end discrimination of all types against themselves, deserve a month of celebration.

Allotting these heroic women a month out of the year to be endlessly celebrated is so important because without it they would go unrecognized.

The white men who are celebrated and praised every month of the year would easily overshadow these women. The same is true for the African Americans who participated in the Civil Rights movement and those who continue to make progress in the field of African American rights.

Without women’s history month, African American history month, and all of the other minority celebration months, there wouldn’t be a yearly reminder of all of the progress these great people have made towards equality. This annual reminder also encourages people in these minority groups to be thankful for all of the fighting that was done for them before they were in the world, and all of the fighting they still have left to do to reach true equality.

In an ideal world, people wouldn’t need a month to remind them of the great men and women who worked so hard for minorities to be seen as equal to white men, but that is not the case. The history of America is so heavy with white male leaders and influencers, but those are not the only ones who shaped America into the great country it is today. If we forget about the others, we are turning a blind eye to a huge portion of our history.

Written By: Alex Tostado

Con: 

Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month are creating differences, not uniting cultures.

On the heels of Hispanic Heritage Month and with February rapidly approaching, this topic needs to be discussed.

We should not stop educating children about black history and Hispanic history. We should do the exact opposite.

These cultures should be celebrated year round, not just confined to one month out of the year.

The school curriculum should include the history of minorities always, not just emphasize them in their respective months.

Yes, we learn about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi, but it is not nearly enough.

Students need to learn about Cesar Chavez and the Harlem Renaissance from an early age. Native Americans should be celebrated for their cultures, but instead we learn about the Trail of Tears, barely.

According to U.S. Census Bureau in 2013, Latinos made up 17 percent of the United States’ population. The African American population was at 14.2 percent in 2012. The school curriculum, however, does not mirror this in the least.

It’s no secret that schools don’t teach enough history of minorities, whether it be African American, Latin or women’s history. Children are still being taught that Christopher Columbus “discovered” North and South America. We still recognize “Columbus Day.”

With the minority population in this country growing as quickly as it is, the school boards need to start teaching children the real history of this country.

Once we take away these heritage months, America can focus on uniting cultures instead of dividing them.