Today while talking to multiple people I’m currently in school with we came to a dumbfounding realization. There are multiple historical events- important ones to American history at that- that we were never taught in school. I never learned that during the civil rights movement- following MLK’s assassination- there were riots for six days. These riots eventually led to the civil rights act of 1968. I was never taught about the stonewall riots in 1969. The led the the institution of multiple LGBT rights organizations. Why- in the women’s suffrage movement did I not learn about Minor v Happersett which led to years of protesting and activism until women were enfranchised in 1920? Why did I not learn about the National Women’s Party that picketed outside the White House and starved themselves? They needed to be forced fed in prison. Why was I never taught about the 1965 voting rights act? These are all key events and turning points in American history- especially for minorities. It should NOT matter where I go to school, it should NOT matter what state I live in. The majority of K-12 students attend publicly funded schools. It should NOT matter if this history upsets people- or displeases parents- or makes people uncomfortable. This history is a part of us as Americans and we as students have every single right to a good education. We as students have the RIGHT to be put on an equal playing ground. Not only that, but we are taught history so it will not repeat itself. Yet here we are in 2020 still rioting to assure justice for the African American community. I believe that the department of education should do a better job- being a central body- at regulating the education we as students receive. States by all means do have rights- but why should states get to pick and choose what’s taught? All students should be taught the same common core content in the public education system to, once again, assure a level playing ground.