US Education Culture Wars: Freedom of Expression, Race, Gender and Revisionist History
摘要
This chapter discusses US ‘education culture wars’ in the context of debates about educational instruction regarding race/ethnicity and gender as well as intersectionality. In this regard, the Oklahoma federal case Black Emergency Response Team et al. v John O’Connor (Attorney General of Oklahoma) is examined. That case concerns an Oklahoma statute that impinges on educators’ freedom of expression rights in addressing race and gender in the classroom. In addition, this chapter explores affirmative action in university admissions in the context of the United States Supreme Court case Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v President and Fellows of Harvard University. The latter case represents a challenge to whether affirmative action relating to race/ethnicity in US university admissions is being fairly applied and whether or not the university admissions process reflects a meritocratic system. Both legal cases raise the issue of ‘revisionist history’ that is intended to minimize or even negate historical truths and their legacy, especially about race as a factor in US society. Also considered are relevant selected comparative law cases.