I don’t think labeling an argument you disagree with as one of the canonical logical fallacies is helpful. A lot of history is very uncomfortable. Literature of those times obviously has those same aspects which can make historical eras sometimes uncomfortable for people not accustomed to facing these facts. I do not thinking firmly placing your head in the sand when encountering disturbing or uncomfortable ideas is a healthy way to progress, and is most definitely not a way to approach an AP class. I guess we could just pretend that bad shit never existed, so that we can be sure to repeat those experiences.
Just for clarity, I don’t disagree with what I believe your argument ultimately boils down to. I think avoiding all uncomfortable topics in all educational settings and across all subjects is not a good idea. However I think the debate to be had here is more nuanced than that.
As you say, a lot of history is uncomfortable and acknowledging it and learning it is essential to progress. But debates need to be had about how we teach these topics.
We cannot assume that the way we tackle the subject of racism in schools is perfect as it is now. From studying Of Mice and Men during GCSEs myself I certainly think it lacked in terms of tackling the subject of racism in a way that does it justice. Though I am making the assumption that the way it is taught now is the same as it was a decade ago which might be a load of rubbish.
Thank you for your civil reply to my confrontation and I hope this clarifies my thoughts better than my initial reply.
I don’t think labeling an argument you disagree with as one of the canonical logical fallacies is helpful. A lot of history is very uncomfortable. Literature of those times obviously has those same aspects which can make historical eras sometimes uncomfortable for people not accustomed to facing these facts. I do not thinking firmly placing your head in the sand when encountering disturbing or uncomfortable ideas is a healthy way to progress, and is most definitely not a way to approach an AP class. I guess we could just pretend that bad shit never existed, so that we can be sure to repeat those experiences.
Just for clarity, I don’t disagree with what I believe your argument ultimately boils down to. I think avoiding all uncomfortable topics in all educational settings and across all subjects is not a good idea. However I think the debate to be had here is more nuanced than that.
As you say, a lot of history is uncomfortable and acknowledging it and learning it is essential to progress. But debates need to be had about how we teach these topics.
We cannot assume that the way we tackle the subject of racism in schools is perfect as it is now. From studying Of Mice and Men during GCSEs myself I certainly think it lacked in terms of tackling the subject of racism in a way that does it justice. Though I am making the assumption that the way it is taught now is the same as it was a decade ago which might be a load of rubbish.
Thank you for your civil reply to my confrontation and I hope this clarifies my thoughts better than my initial reply.