July 5, 2026: What is Wrong With Discomfort?

         Across the country lately, there has been a lot of focus on discomfort. Or rather, in relation to our nation’s history, how to avoid making people uncomfortable.  There seems to be a focused, concerted effort to erase anything that refers to anything in our history that does not make one feel proud and superior.

State legislatures have even crafted laws that essentially says that schools are not allowed to teach anything that makes a student uncomfortable.

         Yes, let me say that again… as classroom teachers, we must not make students feel uncomfortable.

While teachers do not purposefully set out to make students feel uncomfortable, I have to break the news to these legislators- anything difficult is inevitably uncomfortable. At least for a while.  The entire process of learning, has discomfort built into it.

  Kindergarteners learning to read have to work at it, and some may struggle, and that is uncomfortable. Fourth Graders learning long division are uncomfortable. It is hard work.  Memorizing chemistry symbols, science vocabulary, or state capitals can all be uncomfortable until mastered.  Running laps at physical education, and learning to read music, all potentially create discomfort. When the teacher returns an essay and asks for a rewrite to correct for proper grammar, that will absolutely cause discomfort to the student.  

So, I am a little confused about what I can teach, without causing anyone discomfort.  The supporters of this legislation will inevitably say that they do not want schools and teachers to stop teaching reading, multiplication, or geography.

  They say the law is about complex topics that have differing perspectives. Topics like slavery or colonialism.  I agree. These are complex topics. And when teachers teach them, they present facts, historical documents, primary sources, and authoritative texts to help students better understand these deep and complex topics.

Is it uncomfortable to learn about past injustices? Of course. Is it uncomfortable to feel empathy or anger when studying some historical events? Absolutely. Is it uncomfortable to learn new details that may cause us to shift our thinking? Yes.  That is what education is all about.

As we celebrate the 250 years of our country’s history, it seems those in power are even more focused on removing anything that does not support the White Supremacist, Christian-Nationalist, patriarchal view of the world.  While they say they do it to make sure we feel proud of our nation, the reality is this is more about silencing voices.

         And there is nothing that says that learning discomforting truths will erase our pride in our country.  To the contrary. As we learn about these dark periods, read about horrific acts, and discover past atrocities, we also learn that there have always been Americans trying to do better.  That when we learn and grow and change, we are making an effort to better live up to the ideals that are the United States.

         Can democracy be complex? Of course.  Should we all be  learning the uncomfortable truths of our past? Definitely. Is it worth becoming uncomfortable in order to move forward? Absolutely.