Filson Statement on Public Higher Education Legislation
The Filson echoes the concerns of University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto and other leaders in higher education across Kentucky over pending legislation that would label the teaching of diverse and inclusive histories of the United States in public institutions of higher education as “divisive” or “discriminatory” concepts. As it did in 2022, the Filson stands by the position of the American Historical Association that,
[T]he ideal of informed citizenship necessitates an educated public. Educators must provide an accurate view of the past in order to better prepare students for community participation and robust civic engagement. Suppressing or watering down discussion of “divisive concepts” in educational institutions deprives students of opportunities to discuss and foster solutions to social division and injustice. Legislation cannot erase “concepts” or history; it can, however, diminish educators’ ability to help students address facts in an honest and open environment capable of nourishing intellectual exploration.
Though this legislation would not impact the Filson’s freedom to collect, preserve, and share histories that include and celebrate the contributions of everyone within a diverse Ohio Valley region, the Filson recognizes that a healthy ecosystem of honest and unrestricted research, teaching, and publishing is critical to the ongoing prosperity of our community and its democratic institutions.
Richard H. C. Clay, President & CEO
Patrick A. Lewis, Ph.D., Director of Collections & Research
