Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Why No White History Month? It is the month of February again, and I am very excited about the Black History month. As a young African American elementary school teacher, I make sure that I fully take advantage of the Black History month in my lessons with my 5th graders. Yesterday, we were talking about important African American political figures, who made life better for all Americans. During this lesson, one of my students raised her hand and asked why there was no "White History month?" "Were White Americans not as important?" I did not have a good answer to her question. I must be doing something wrong to have a student feel this way. How would you answer this question? Do you think it is problematic to integrate African Americans to all my lessons during February? How can I fix this? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) Because a student asks this doesn't mean you are doing anything wrong. I don't have a good answer for her question either. Part of the answer is tied to the concept of affirmative action, where we try to compensate for past injustices by taking calculated actions to advance one particular group. I don't think it's problematic for you to integrate African Americans into your lessons during Feb. I think the best answer is for us to recognize great Americans throughout the entire year and not even notice if they are African American or white but just great Americans. This fix may go beyond a 5th grade classroom, so in the mean time I would continue to integrate great African Americans in the Feb lessons if it's something you enjoy.