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Salem Teach Truth Day focuses on laws changing what is being taught in classrooms

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With the passing of Senate Bill 1 this year, and other legislation that affects what is being taught in classrooms, some valley teachers say learning all of American history is more important than ever.

Local educators, students and members of the community are walking through Salem to learn about its history for Teach Truth Day. The walk through Salem is part of the National Teach Truth campaign that started five years ago. 

Heather Smith, Volney Elementary School teacher, said since the start of the campaign, legislation has been introduced across the country, aiming to change what is being taught in the classroom.

“There’s been some harmful legislation that’s been passed that would prevent teachers from teaching an accurate account of our history based on the fact that you have to talk about some controversial things,” said Smith.

Salem was one of the three main major centers of abolitionism in Ohio. In fact, some of the people that were discussed during the walk around Salem were advocates from Salem who put their lives on the line to fight for freedom. 

Much of that history ties back to the Underground Railroad. 

“Some of those people stayed here. They didn’t just stay and then move on. But it’s sort of a forgotten history,” said Penny Wells, executive director of Mahoning Valley Sojourn to the Past. 

Because of recent changes to what can be taught in classrooms, Wells worries this history will no longer be welcome in classrooms. 

“When we go back to the Civil Rights movement, we have not taught some of those things and we began to do that into the 80’s and 90’s and into this century. And now we are sort of backpedaling, and we're saying that we want to erase some of this history because it doesn't make the United States look good,” said Wells.

Smith spoke to the group before the group walked around the city. During the speech, she said despite what pressures educators are facing, she will always teach about the community's past.

In addition to mentioning SB 1, which limits what can be taught in Universities across Ohio, Smith also pointed to laws that restrict what books are allowed in classrooms.

"A lot of the books have been banned because the characters have experienced racism. Like you shouldn't learn about that and the experiences, but we can all learn the lessons when we learn more about the harder history that we don't always hear about," said Smith.


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