New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu recently signed into law a $13.5 billion budget for the state of NH. This budget was met with protests, a massive display of opposition online, and arrests of protestors who staged a sit-in. There are many detrimental aspects of the budget, however, one of the most concerning is its “divisive concepts” ban.

The ban prevents teaching “that the state of New Hampshire or the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist” and “that an individual, by the nature of their race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or repressive”. Proposed as a way to keep politics out of school, this ban restricts learning in practice. Limiting what is considered acceptable to teach diverts focus from learning the truth. Even without the ban, educational accuracy is flawed. I and other students used to believe that Christopher Columbus discovered America, the first Thanksgiving was a celebration of friendship, and other falsehoods because that’s what was taught. Our curriculum is already questionable, and censoring divisive concepts will only further reduce the ability of educators to do their job.

History is not always pleasant to learn, but it is necessary. The education system already teaches us watered-down facts, which will only continue with a divisive concepts ban in place. The future leaders of our country are in school right now, don’t they deserve the truth?

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