First hour: Harriet Tubman and how we teach American history
Second hour: Film ratings and what kids see on screen
Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson did not know who Harriet Tubman was, according to the New Yorker magazine. But he's not alone: polls show that many Americans don't know much about Tubman. Why is that? Moreover, are we failing in teaching parts of our American history? Fox News' Bill O'Reilly recently stressed that while slaves did help build the White House, as First Lady Michelle Obama mentioned in her convention speech, the slaves were well fed and had good lodging. Why would O'Reilly emphasize a part of the slave experience that appears to massage the rough edges? Our guests will discuss it:
- Geraldine Copes-Daniels, great grandniece of Harriet Tubman
- Catherine Clinton, chair of the American History Department at the University of Texas in San Antonio, and international research professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast
- Benjamin Lawrance, professor of international studies and director of international and global studies at the Rochester Institute of Technology
- Maggie Moore-Holley, Harriet Tubman re-enactor
Comedian Mike Birbiglia tweeted his frustration that his new movie, which is about improv comedy, is rated R thanks to a scene in which adults smoke marijuana, while films that feature machine-gun murder scenes are PG-13. And that has us wondering: are we failing in how we determine what is detrimental for kids to see on screen? How do we determine priorities? Our guests come with a range of perspectives, both parenting and professional. In studio:
- Melissa Sturge-Apple, parent and psychology professor at the University of Rochester
- Deb Rosen, managing director of strategic partnerships at Hillside Family of Agencies
- Tom Proietti, resident scholar in media at St. John Fisher College
- Adam Lubitow, film critic for City Newspaper
- Makana Chock, interim director of media studies and associate professor of communications at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
