Many of the issues we will discuss this semester can be emotionally painful to learn about. I remember buying a book about the Haitian revolution for my niece and nephew when they were 5 and 8. Before I read it with them, I decided I should speak to my sister about it. She told me that she didn’t want me to share the book with them because she didn’t want them to know about slavery yet.
What do you think about this? There are many topics that can be upsetting for children. When do you think it’s appropriate to tell children about this aspect of American history? Share your opinion, and back it up with some research on the topic. There are many educational and psychological organizations that have written about when to teach young people about war, injustice, and other negative topics. Cite your source.