Keeping History Intact

On the lawn of the Gregg County Courthouse, three blocks from my home, is a statue of an unnamed Confederate soldier, in remembrance of local lives lost in the course of the Civil War.  This is an understandably contentious statue, as is arguably raises to a place of respect the position of racial subjugation of African Americans as slaves that the Confederacy represented.

In the Longview News Journal, an article featuring Chelsea Laury, states that she has started a petition to remove the confederate statue from the courthouse lawn.  Laury states in the article:

“Every time I see that flag, or that memorial, or statues, I think of people who believe that my people, my ancestors, my family, me should be ‘other’ human beings, should be enslaved just based solely on the color of their skin,” she said. “It makes me feel alienated in a way. It feels kind of intimidating, to be honest, to have this huge statue of a confederate soldier looking down on you. If that person was real in front of me, they would think I’m a lesser human being than they were.”

I am heartily grieved for Laury's feelings on the matter.  But, I don't think that they justify the removal of the statue.  Longview Representative Jay Dean is quoted in the article as well, having stated Thursday:

“we cannot rewrite history....It[the statue] reminds us of the hundreds of thousands of people that suffered greatly during this time, and it should serve as a reminder, not as a threat or any type of disrespect for any group of people,” Dean said. “Our county is named Gregg County. It was named after that person, so what’s next? I think we leave history alone, and we learn from history, and we continue to move forward as a county, as a state, as a country and understanding those historical markers and what they represent. They should remind us of a dark place we never want to go back to.”

For myself, I am inclined to agree with Rep. Dean.  Insofar as I cannot see inside the mind of the Confederate soldier the statue represents, I could conjecture, similarly to Laury, that, on the basis of my being a woman, that he would likewise look down on my personage.  It may not even be inaccurate to contend that a Confederate man would not wish me to own my home, vote, or be educated and outspoken, all of which are true of me.  However, this does not cause an emotional reaction in me.  Any Texan man in 1860 would be entirely likely to agree with, and defend those views.  He is a product of his time, as I and Ms. Laury are a product of 2020, one hundred and fifty-five years after the end of the war.

I was born a "Yankee," in Ohio.  I learned about the Civil War as one in which the North and South fought for an ideological purpose of representing blacks as equal to whites.  I was wholly ignorant of the war being known as "The War of Northern Aggression."  I had no idea that people hoisted Confederate flags in 21st century America.  When I moved here in 2001 for college, these realities, and those of the visible signs or "othering" and separation that I saw were hard pills to swallow after a very different experience in the North.  I didn't even care for how I was treated as a woman.  Southern sensibilities and understandings came hard to me as a Yank.

A modern day Christian might, and ought to be, appalled that Confederate men may have argued slavery as biblical.  A modern person who doesn't adhere to a faith practice might be disgusted at the backwards ways of a faith that can justify such a gross inequality.  I would even posit that your average Gregg county man of 2020 would have a much more modern perspective on the identity, personhood, equality, and value of any person; color, gender, and creed notwithstanding.  In essence,  I think it would be extremely difficult to find a man today matching the description of the average Texan Confederate soldier in mindset.  Because, as a society, we have moved forward.  We have progressed to something more respectful and decent, in every standard of measure.  Equality, by every standard, is something that Longview, and Gregg County are daily continuing to ensure, by ferreting out injustices.

I have seen massive growth in the region in the almost twenty years in which I've lived here.  My church is one in which peoples of every color are represented, and in roles of leadership.  My daily interactions within my community are uniformly respectful and positive, no matter the individual.  When I see Longview, I see people who want, vote for, and live the changes that everyone deserves.

When I have looked up at the statue representing the lives of Confederate soldiers, I am moved to teach my children of the wrongs done by the founders of Longview, in the same way as teaching them about Thomas Jefferson's foibles, sins, and hypocrisies.  What the Confederates did shaped the path of what Longview has become.  What our founding fathers did shaped our nation.  It does not define us as citizens of Gregg county, or of the United States. It reminds us to push forward.

My home in Longview is a historical home, built by Confederate veteran, then later sold to another Confederate veteran.  I am fairly certain those men who built and then lived in my home are likely to have owned slaves, and, after the war, to have employed Black citizens in an egregiously racist manner.  I'm not tempted to tear down my house, however.  Instead,  I have and do welcome in people of any faith, color, gender, orientation or ability (the wheelchairs require a lot of planning, since we don't have ramps, but we've always made it work!).  I am MAKING history in my home, built by a Confederate veteran.  I am changing the future by modeling change to my children.  This home that has surely seen gross racism and inequality deserves to continue to be something better than it's builder.

Other nations do not remove symbols of past leaders and royalty of whom some  most certainly were oppressive, racist, sexist, and tyrannical.  They do not tear down buildings built by the same leaders of dubious character.  Even Nazi concentration camps are left in place, to allow us to see with our own eyes the potential darkness to which humanity is capable and their inexcusable attempts to morally justify unspeakable acts of atrocity.  They shaped their past, but do not define their present or future.

It is a limiting response to; see history, be appalled, and try to remove it because we are no longer the people displayed.  It does no service to our future to remove the reminders of our flaws.  If we forget history, we are doomed to repeat it.  I do not believe we should remove the Confederate statue that for 109 years has stood in Longview.  It bears consideration to amend its dedication with a placard befitting a modern and just perspective.  I think we should use our response to past wrongs to focus on building and contributing to the future we all can be proud to be a part of, together.  We need to show ourselves to be a better Longview.

The Changing Face of Education

As a dedicated homeschooler, whose husband was homeschooled grades 1-12, I certainly am a huge fan of school choice.  I've been keeping a weather eye on public perception and general trends throughout the forced school closures and subsequent school-from-home situation.  Of course, I have been following the backlash over Elizabeth Bartholet's poorly dashed-off opinion piece, The Risks of Homeschooling, with considerable interest.  It is of particular interest because of the heinous timing with regards the global pandemic, as parents nationwide are labeling themselves as homeschoolers, and this issue, and thus taking note of the stir, where they might not have, before.  Everything on the topic of schooling from home has become suddenly and acutely personal. 

Allow me to cover a few things up at the outset.  Some families have a work/life balance that will make a continuation of schooling from home untenable.  Some parents are not of a tempernment to amicably spend 24/7 with their children.  Let me also say, as I know many have, that the current school-from-home model that traditional schools have been forced into is not comparable to any homeschoolers I've ever met.  My own children spend 4-6 hours a week in sports and classes outside of the home, and an equal amount of time with with their peers in regular socialization through field trips and intentional time with friends.  We are out of the home for a school, extracurricular, or social related engagement every day of the school day, and weekends involve parties, friend time, and a large circle of friends at church.  And most of our home is made up of introverts, so I personally know many homeschoolers who are are far more socially involved in extracurricular and academic pursuits than we are. 

So, for one, the current understanding of school-from-home involving and imposed house arrest with digital connection with humanity is not representative of homeschooling.  And secondly, most homeschoolers do not use what is referred to as  "umbrella school," in which teachers meet digitally with students, and all academic work is graded and moderated by accredited teachers, so parents only have the responsibility of support, ensuring that the work is completed and helping with understanding.  Usually, umbrella schools are a less common choice amongst homeschoolers because of either their expense or their lack of parental control.  They are, however, a popular choice among those students whose extracurricular pursuits (art, music, acting, sports, or even a military family) do not allow a "traditional" school day with consistency.  An umbrella school is an excellent choice for those who travel, as well.  But, the current situation is more akin to umbrella schooling than a classic understanding of homeschooling.

However, the non-traditional schooling realm is vast and couldn't adequately be pidgeon-holed into any particular model.  So, owing to that understanding, I wouldn't say that what most families have been experiencing recently isn't homeschooling.  I would only venture that what must be considered is that what we face in front of us as a nation moving forward through the pandemic is a rapid growth in the non-traditional.

The following  RealClear Opinion Research survey boasts that 40% of families are more likely to homeschool after lockdowns end.  This is at once laughable and highly rose-colored optimism.  I wouldn't object to the fact that the data shows an acknowledgement that schooling in America needs to change, and that this unusual situation has highlighted that need.  Do I think that 40% of American families will remove their children form the public school system?  No.  Do I think that the public school system will have to change out of a practical caution toward the pandemic and due to a sudden glaring awareness at some gaps in the dominant mode of education in place to this point? Yes. 

I think that the options are quite endless, really.  Yes, there will be an increase in the classic homeschool population, with a growth in cottage schools, co-ops and support groups.  Some people who didn't realize their capability have discovered a newfound confidence and desire to take charge of their children's education in a profound way.  But the more broad-based changes are likely to be found with integrating alternate schedules, more k12 adherents, smaller class sizes, more charter schools and a brief, but powerful, involvement of parents in the reshaping of the education landscape in this country.   I'm personally hopeful for a reduction in direct federal intervention in the school system as a whole, with a shift toward state-controlled programs, in which some could sanction a more localized, tailored experience to the needs of the community. 

Realistically, a more interesting survey could be administered at this time next year, to see where actual shifts have occurred, not just hypotheticals.  Hypotheticals are optimistic and interesting, but practical data will be more significant at exhibiting to what extent this seismic shift in the strata of education will cause lasting waves of change.  Meanwhile,  we soldier on,  showing a gratitude that we can have the choice to assess our values on many topics, and being grateful to the educators who have loved out children through this time.  Change, whatever it may be, will not happen in a vacuum.