The University of Idaho Argonaut

Leaders of Moscow High School this week suggested cutting back the number of history classes students should have to take in favor of increasing math and science requirements. Those leaders should realize they’re also cutting back on the students’ sense of where they came from, why they’re here and where they’ll be going in the future.

The students would only be required to take one year of U.S. history classes and one year of world history.
It is critical for high school students to have a well-rounded education to make cultured decisions about the majors and careers they’ll want to pursue in college. Without a basic knowledge of the history of this country — including the events, people and the evolution of American ideals, and more importantly, why these are still so meaningful for us today — students will not have an accurate background of who they are as people and who we are as a country.

It is irresponsible of the MHS leaders and unfair for the educators of these future college students who will have to pick up the pieces of a broken and unbalanced education. 
MHS Principal Bob Celebrezze stands by the recommendations because “only 5 percent of the world’s population is from the United States.”

But what about the history of the millions of people from the world’s population who immigrated to the United States over its 232-year history? What of the history of this country’s own native people whose story deserves to be told?
Without emphasizing aspects of our history such as the importance of events like the Civil Rights Movement, the intellect of leaders like Eleanor Roosevelt and the critical components of American ideals guaranteed by our Constitution, we can only blame ourselves as we repeat the mistakes of our past.

We as a people should know and be held responsible for our own history.
When these students get into a university setting, they’ll be meeting new and different people every day. It is important to understand the differences of one another — differences that can largely be explained by our history.
Once students graduate, they’ll be thrown into a diverse workforce and will be expected to work hand in hand and respect people who may or may not have the same historical background and ideals.

If a person doesn’t have a sense of personal history, we can’t legitimately ask him or her to accept and understand the differences that make up another —  which is an aspect of life we should be encouraging, not cutting back.