Like all history, what is taught in school is not always the whole story. History lessons start simple and get more complex as students progress through school.

Columbus Day is important. His exploration led to the discovery of the America's by Europe and therefore was the initial action that led to the creation of the USA. That can not be discounted.

However, the whole story should also be discussed, including the impact his exploration had on Native Americans.

It is rare that anything in history is one-sided or all good. Teachers need to make sure they educate their students about all the parts of history.

Should be celebrating Leif Ericsson if we want the "first European" to come to the continent.

Do we really have to get PC huffy about an amazing act of adventure? Columbus did something incredible, brave, foolish, and is an example of the human urge to explore in the face of overwhelming odds. He wasn't the first to come to North America. Let's celebrate and enjoy the human spirit of adventure.

I thoroughly agree. In addition to the responsibility to present both sides of history, we as educators are teaching the students that there is more than one side to a story. In that process we are more likely to model tolerance and acceptance. You have made an excellent point.

I think it's important for students to try to get an understanding of the world as it existed both in white Europe and in native America and the effects of those two worlds meeting. But it shouldn't be called Columbus Day because that's completely from one perspective. Native Americans Discovery Day is a bit ambiguous - maybe nicely so....

Let's convert Labor Day into Native American Day. The true meaning of Labor Day was lost in this country about 50 years ago. Very few people honor Labor Day as anything more than the end of summer. Native American culture has far more to offer as a celebration of American values in the 21st century. Columbus may not have been the first or the wisest, but his actions represent a major turning point in the history of the Americas. It is precisely all the issues that his exploration raised that make it such an important time to remember. Holidays are more than celebrations, they are also times to reflect.

It is time we acknowledged in our education of our young that the day that Columbus "discovered America" is looked upon by our native peoples as the beginning of their destruction. We took their land, gave them diseases that killed them, killed their women and children, violated the treaties we made with them and relegated them to reservations in a land that had been theirs prior to the coming of those who "settled" this country.
There is so much "selective memory" when it comes to our history.

I have often asked teachers of social studies and history if they are aware that Native Americans (not "Indians") could not practice their religion in our country until 1978. I have yet to find one who is aware of the Native American Freedom of Religion Act (1978) which gave Native Americans the freedom to practice their religion without being arrested.

There is much to learn from and about these great people, many of whom still live on reservations that compared to the rest of this land, resemble third world countries.

We have a moral imperative to refocus our celebration of Columbus Day on those who lost a way of life as a result of his great "discovery".

In many parts of the Americas and around the world, Columbus Day is recognized as a national day of mourning for First Nation Peoples. The death, disease, destruction, and pillaging that explorers like Columbus brought to the "New World" is horrifying. Once you understand the enormity of what was done, and is continued to this day, you realize that at the very least, we need to change Columbus Day.

I don't think Columbus day should be designated as Native American day. To just rename the day will make individuals continue to think that Columbus "discovered" America. If Columbus day was renamed Explorer's day that might work- because we should acknowledge all the explorer's of the America and the world because they help build our knowledge of the world we live in and the universe.

Native Americans were here living in the Americas long before Columbus came. Why not continue to celebrate Native American month (November) and focus upon their history and their culture and lives today. I think we would be stereotyping Native Americans if we changed the name of the day to Native American day.

While I agree that Columbus is not the "hero" that history has reported him to be, he is not necessarily the evil tyrant, either. I do like the idea of teaching children the whole truth, including his darker side, but demonizing him for acting in a way that was considered appropriate for the times is just as irresponsible as lionizing him. Contextually he was no different than any other explorer in his day.

On the other hand, Columbus Day has become more than a day of remembrance for the notorious explorer - it is a celebration of Italian Americans and their contribution to our American culture. As an Italian American, I would oppose the loss of that celebration! If we were to consider changing the holiday - I'd vote for Italian American Day!