White House review of Smithsonian content could reach schools nationwide

High school history teacher Katharina Matro often pulls materials from the Smithsonian Institution website as she assembles her lessons.

- BY MAKIYA SEMINERA

THE U.S. and Smithsonian flags at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

She trusts its materials and uses documents and other primary sources it curates for discussions of topics such as genocide and slavery.

As the White House presses for changes at the Smithsonian, she's worried she may not be able to rely on it in the same way.

"We don't want a partisan history,' said Matro, a teacher in Bethesda, Md. "We want the history that's produced by real historians."

Far beyond museums in Washington, President Trump's review at the Smithsonian could influence how history is taught in classrooms around the country. The institution is a leading provider of curriculum and other educational materials, which are subject to the sweeping new assessment of all its public-facing content.

Trump is moving to bring the Smithsonian into alignment with his vision of American history. In a letter last month to the Smithsonian Institution, the White House said its review is meant to "assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals." It's part of Trump's agenda to "celebrate American exceptionalism" by removing "divisive or partisan narratives," it said.

Those opposed to the changes fear they will promote a more sanitized version of American history.