What The Media Ignored Last Week
I write this as a Greek American and former public school teacher because I am fuming. I have no far reaching channels and, hence, must throw my frustration to the Medium wind. Here you go.
This is not just for Greek American readers. This is for all of us who care about our ethnic cultures living in America. This is for all of us who are proud of our old world roots and history. This is for all of us who care about accurate historical lessons. This is for all of us who care about the Classics. This is for all of us who are citizens of the American mosaic (as spoken by former NYC Mayor Dinkins). This is for all of us with children in public schools.
Last week, in our divided county, the rightwing news criticized recent agenda put out by the National Education Association (the NEA). I read what was said and googled. I could not find the quote on the NEA website.
I asked on social media and a friend responded with a link. It seems the NEA removed the statement from their website the day after the media reported. However, I suppose nothing is ever lost from the web. This is where you can currently read the NEA deleted material:
https://web.archive.org/web/20210705234008/https://ra.nea.org/business-item/2021-nbi-039/
This blog is not about what the news media and what everyone else talked about (or I should say the rightwing which is 1/2 of everyone else). This is about what all our American voices missed and what has left me furious.
Of all people, our teachers should get their facts straight. They/we are responsible for the future.
Spot the problem with the NEA quote:
“To deny opportunities to teach truth about Black, Brown and other marginalized races minimalizes the necessity for students to build efficacy. The ancient African proverb says, “Know Thyself.”
The problem:
“Know Thyself” is one of the 147 Delphic maxims. Delphi is in Greece. Greece is on the continent of Europe — not Africa.
Yes Greece is very near the continent of Africa. In fact, from my father’s island of Crete, I can look out at the Libyan sea and dream of swimming to Africa. From very ancient days, at least as far back as the Bronze Age, Hellenic (Greek) people traveled, traded, and built cities in North Africa.
But again, Delphi is on the Greek mainland, in Europe! The Delphic Temple of Apollo dates to the 4th century BCE (on the site of two earlier destroyed temples). Inscribed there, on a column, are three of the most famous maxims, “Know Thyself”, “Nothing in Excess”, and “Surety Brings Ruin”.
In my attempt at locating the African connection, I returned to google. I discovered that the saying, “Know Thyself is also attributed to Thales of Miletus and Heraclitus of Ephesus who were pre-Socratic philosophers from Asia Minor. But Asia is not Africa either.
Two other famous usages of the saying “Know Thyself” are from the playwright Aeschylus and philosopher Socrates who lived in Athens and the surrounding area which, again, is on the European side of the Mediterranean.
So there you go. Hellenic people have lived on three continents from ancient days (Europe, Africa, and Asia). But “Know Thyself comes originally from the Hellenic people of Europe.
If there is another version of “Know Thyself” from the continent of Africa, the NEA should provide the place, time period, and other details of usage. If there is an African version of the phrase, they should add it along side the Ancient Hellenic tradition from Delphi and beyond. Furthermore, if their statement is incorrect, they should apologize to Greek Americans and the rest of the population for their mistake. After all, another quote from the same NEA passage says, “Publicly (through existing media) convey its support for the accurate and honest teaching of social studies topics”. And thus is my request from the NEA, “accurate and honest teaching”.
Likewise, if any of the history I write here is incorrect, please send me a message and I will fix it.
In the meantime:
Another lesser known Delphic maxim says, “Do not wrong the dead”. Unfortunately, my Hellenic ancestors were disrespected by our American educators and why I speak here today.
