Hard History

Another Slavery Simulation: We Can and Must Do Better by Monita K. Bell
Teaching Tolerance, March 11, 2019

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Stories of racist images, videos, and simulations are increasingly entering the news – either resurfacing activities from years ago or exposing current events. From printed relics and yearbooks to viral images and videos, from off-campus social events to in-class simulations, disturbing and egregious displays of racism continue to resurface, emerge, and exist. (This is not to say that nuanced and subtle displays do not exist, but they do not usually make the news.) Most schools are working responsibly to prevent and respond to these stories, though many question how to do this work well. In her article, “Another Slavery Simulation: We Can and Must Do Better,” Monita K. Bell of Teaching Tolerance shares how poor pedagogy can not only end up in the news but also can damage learning circumstances, experiences, and memories for students – particularly those made to feel “singled out and humiliated.” Drawing upon research conducted in 2017, she highlights common problems teachers encounter in teaching “hard history.” In response to these noted obstacles and more, Teaching Tolerance “has created an entire framework designed to help educators get this history right – without traumatizing their students in the process.” Though we are not all history educators or standing in front of students everyday, we all can take an active role in doing this work better, even if that means that we need to learn more of the hard history ourselves.