Mecca Patterson-Guridy wants to learn, but for some subjects, she isn’t always comfortable asking her teachers. So she has been turning to TikTok.
Online, the 17-year-old high school junior in Philadelphia has found videos on social media platforms about protests over police shootings, civic engagement and Black and Latino history in the U.S. The accounts she checks regularly feature segments including “Fast Black History” and “Black Girl Magic Minute.”Scrutiny from conservatives around teaching about race, gender and sexuality has made many teachers reluctant to discuss issues that touch on cultural divides.
Others who are finding audiences online for their takes on history and current events include Atlanta-based personality Lynae Bogues, who hosts a segment called “Parking Lot Pimpin” on social and political topics in the Black community. Kahlil Greene, who in 2019 became the first Black student body president at Yale University, calls himself the “Gen Z Historian” on social media. He shares stories of Black history and culture.
Meanwhile, new laws passed in more than a dozen states over the last two years have put a chill on classroom discussion of topics that touch on racism and sexism. “In high school, teachers didn’t really talk about current problems that are happening, especially when it comes to police brutality. That’s not talked about at all,” said McCollum, who now attends Hampton University, a historically Black institution in Virginia.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
12-year-old from Ohio dies trying TikTok challenge, family says: ‘It’s killing our babies’A 12-year-old boy from Richmond Heights died Tuesday after trying a dangerous game from social media that has gone viral, his family says.
Read more »
25 TikTok-Viral Stocking Stuffers For Under $25Small and affordable gifts that the internet loves and everyone else will, too.
Read more »
2022's Best And Worst TikTok Food Trends, From Butter Boards To NyQuil ChickenSome are here to stay, while others we can't wait to leave behind.
Read more »