Statement From Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr., the Board of Regents, and Commissioner Betty A. Rosa

The conclusion of Black History Month provides an opportunity to reflect on the contributions and experiences of Black Americans past and present and the significance of the adherence to truth in our reflection on the American story. "History is not the past," as historian Calinda N. Lee reminds us, it "is what the past means for the present." The stories we tell define us and our communities.

Historical stories consist of objective facts. To that end, admirable and repugnant truths exist alongside each other. George Washington secured America's freedom but enslaved human beings. Andrew Jackson paid off the national debt but forced tens of thousands of Native Americans on the Trail of Tears. And Lyndon Johnson secured passage of the Civil Rights Act while escalating a deadly war in Vietnam. People, and countries, cannot be reduced to simplistic caricatures.

We find ourselves in a moment when truth is challenged, minimized, or reframed for comfort rather than clarity. We see debates about what may be taught, whose stories are deemed worthy of study, and whether examining injustice divides us rather than strengthens us. One such effort is the federal government's attempt to suppress truth in our National Parks. Federal officials have attempted to prohibit mention of slavery at Independence National Park in Philadelphia, industrial hardship at Lowell National Historic Park, and climate change at Muir Woods National Monument.

It may be comforting to imagine history free of conflict. But education has never been about comfort; it has always been about truth. And truth is what allows society to grow. When we teach history fully, we do more than inform students-we equip them. We give them the context to understand our nation's unfinished work. We help them see how past policies translate into present-day realities. We empower students to become thoughtful citizens who can engage complexity with empathy, courage, and discernment.

The Board of Regents and Department appreciate the educators, librarians, curators, archivists, and other professionals who are committed to the truth above all else. As the American Historical Association recently wrote, "[s]tudents deserve opportunities to learn an honest and full account of the history of the United States and the world." This is only possible if students have opportunities to study "the full history of our communities and institutions and the experiences of the many Americans who have struggled to achieve a more perfect union throughout our nation's history."

In New York, these opportunities must occur within an environment free from bullying or harassment. The Dignity for All Students Act requires that schools create safe school environments to "foster civility in public schools." The Board of Regents has also resolved to ensure a culturally responsive and sustaining classroom environment that affirms and respects each child. This means that educators are responsible for helping students navigate political discourse, particularly on social media, that divides and denigrates.

Efforts to sanitize American history aspects are doomed to fail. A court recently ordered the federal government to stop removing information about slavery from Independence National Park. The court found that the government "echo[ed] Big Brother" when it argued that "it alone ha[d] the power to erase, alter, remove and hide historical accounts on taxpayer and local government-funded monuments within its control." That power belongs to the American people, who have flooded the park with notes like "history is real," "learn all history," and "slavery is real." Change has, and always will, come from ordinary people with extraordinary courage.

The stories we choose to preserve-and the truths we choose to tell-will shape the kind of society we become. As activist Nate Thompson put it, "[w]hether institutions recognize them or not, we will continue to tell our stories." The Regents and the Department are committed to ensuring that those stories are heard.