Tell me the truth, teacher.

A number of people in the U.S. have been taught lies in our public school system. Yes, lies. No, Christopher Columbus was not the righteous man from the cartoons. Nor did John Smith fall in love with Pochantas. She was 11 and he was 40 in real life. Talk about gross. Ever wonder why there isn't much information in the books about Vietnam? It's because America lost. The government does its best to hide information from the public about American defeats. By doing this America looks unstoppable to the world. Of course, the people that actually fought in Vietnam can tell you the real story. It's important for students to understand that a country can't win every time and that textbooks are biased. The government wants to put the country in the best light possible, so negative information is omitted. Schools should teach the truth even if it is ugly. The defeats are history, too. Students would be more informed and could help make better decisions in the future if the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, was told to them. Children are the future, whether we like it or not, and what they learn now will influence the society of tomorrow.

"I don't care about history." Well, you should.

For many students around the country history is a dreaded subject. I, for one, think it is vital for all people to understand why the world is the way it is. I'm not trying to suck up to the teacher just to get an A, I truly believe this. History connects people, showing that a multitude of situations have impacted countries in similar ways.  Countries have fought in wars, experienced grief, reconstructed, grew, and prospered.  Looking back at history can show ways for a country to improve or how avoid future conflict. Understanding the history of your country can be eye-opening. Realizing the sacrifice, hard work, and dedication that were put in to create a great country should make anyone proud to be a citizen of their country. History is everywhere. It's in science, movies, art, and technology. History's importance can't be measured in the number of textbooks on the subject or all of the history reports assigned by the teachers of this country. It is through learning about the past that a better future can be formed.