Textbook Biases

Navigating Ethical Tensions

I asked the class if the textbook presented an accurate depiction of the Battle of the Greasy Grass (this is the name that the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho use to refer to the Battle of Little Bighorn). A student responded that the textbook was "neutral" to both the U.S. Army and the Indigenous people and so it was accurate and a "good introduction to the material." To me, this statement was contrary to the goal of the discussion, which was to highlight the subtle biases and inaccuracies in the textbook’s account of the battle which were complicated by primary sources. This topic is also personally meaningful to me, as I have Indigenous family members and have previously worked for a Lakota organization. My personal perspective and lived experiences shape my analysis of the textbook, which my students do not necessarily share. I wanted to support my students in seeing the subtle biases and inaccuracies without shutting down inquiry and diverse perspectives. Do I let the conversation keep going and see how the class responds? Or should I be honest about my own perspective on this topic and how I see the textbook?

  • Kira

    Kira Long Wide Portrait

    9th Grade

    US History

    First Year Teaching

  • What is the teacher's dilemma? Consider the teacher's goals, possible actions, beliefs about the situation and the students, and their own self-perceptions.
  • Complete or modify the following sentence in a way that captures the teacher's central tension in the situation: "While on the one hand, the teacher believed/wanted/felt/did __________, on the other hand, they believed/wanted/felt/did __________."
  • Thinking about your own classroom, how do you balance the goal of student-centered inquiry while honoring your own personal connections to the content?