A Declaration

Happy Birthday, USA!

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

250 years ago, a group of [white, presumed straight, male] humans created for us a new nation. Whatever other shortcomings they had, they were intelligent, idealistic, and had a sense of honor as well as social justice. If we allow ourselves to imagine the Continental Congresses with women and minority groups represented, I believe the original document would end up reading nearly the same as it does.

This past year, our new reading curriculum included a unit about the lead-up to the Revolutionary War. While we did end up reading about major battles and how the war eventually ended, the main drive of the unit was the exploration of why the war happened. We began with a discussion of the French and Indian War — a confusingly named conflict, as the war was between the British and the French, with different Indigenous tribes helping out either side — and the amount of debt incurred by the British government as a result.

My 4th graders had already learned about taxes during the year. In the fall, we discussed the Middle Ages in Europe, and the taxes imposed on the working class in order to pay for the protection of the kingdom, among other things. We talked about the taxes that their families pay, and that the money goes to making sure the roads are drivable and that Mrs. Loeffler has a job, among other things. So when we began to talk about the British government imposing taxes on the colonists to pay for war debts, they didn’t see anything wrong with it… at first.

Around the same time that we were deep into the Revolutionary War unit in Reading, we were also starting Civics in social studies. Imagine you are a 4th grader: in the morning, you are discussing taxation without representation. You are learning about the Stamp Act and The Boston Tea Party. You are shocked to learn that British soldiers could go into anyone’s home and demand food and a bed. Meanwhile, in the afternoon, you are learning about the Branches of Government. Your teacher is forcing you to watch Schoolhouse Rock videos and explaining that all areas of the government are supervised by the other areas, so that nobody has too much power. You learn that Congress has to confirm the hiring of the President’s cabinet. You learn that the President is not allowed to declare war without the approval of Congress.

Some have asked me if I struggle teaching these subjects without including my political views. The answer is absolutely not. It is not my responsibility to make those connections for my students. I am teaching them history, I am teaching them civics, I am teaching them about the way our country was designed and how it is supposed to function. When their brains are more developed, they can make those connections themselves. But learning history and civics does have consequences, and our children are so, so smart. Sometimes I have to say, “You could ask your families what they think about that!” Sometimes I have to say, “That’s a bit off-the-subject of what we’re discussing.” Sometimes I have to listen, nod, and change the subject altogether.

The main message I try to communicate to my students about this country of ours is this: We are entitled to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. This means every human in this country should be safe to live their lives in the way that brings us the most satisfaction, as long as we do not harm each other.

As long as we do not harm each other.

I’m looking forward to celebrating the birthday of this country. I think that a great way to honor the United States of America is to remember that it can only [derive it’s] just powers from the consent of the governed. That’s us, Dear Readers. We are the governed, and we need to give — or withhold — consent.

Happy 4th of July.

Thanks for reading.

Love, Susie