Some have said by focusing on a climate that emphasizes respect for all, we are making others feel bad about themselves.
One of the pillars of an education in Eanes ISD is learning to think critically and to have a broad understanding of the complexities of a global society. The Eanes ISD Graduate Profile articulates the desire for students to have an appreciation of and respect for other cultures.
Students read about and study various groups in history as a part of their Social Studies and Language Arts curricula, among others. While studying history or reading a book about people who were or are mistreated may be uncomfortable, it is through learning about the struggles of others one can develop empathy and deepen an understanding of other people and cultures.
Students, for example, have always studied social studies in elementary and middle school and World Geography, World History, U,S. History, and Economics. They learn about major events and talk about how those events have impacted history. For example, when studying World War II, they learn about the German persecution of the Jewish people. Similarly, in U.S. History, they learn about slavery and its impact on history. In neither situation are students made to feel bad about themselves. They were not alive during either of those events and they are not responsible for what happened at that time. They are also not responsible for actions they have no control over that happen around the world every day. It is not unusual, however, for students to feel empathy for others, especially when there is an injustice of some kind. Feeling empathy is very different from feeling blame.