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Connections

Connections: What's the best way to address teaching the Dred Scott case?

University at Buffalo law professor Matthew Steilen made national headlines when he wrote about his decision to stop teaching the Dred Scott case in his classes. Steilen told the New Yorker that, as a white professor, he feels that the dehumanizing language used by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Dred Scott case is too painful to engage with in class, and is unfair to his Black students. But Black scholars have argued that the Dred Scott case is a vital document if we hope to understand the racist history of this country.

So what's the best way to address it going forward? Our guests:

  • Matthew Steilen, law professor at the University at Buffalo
  • Natalie Ann Knott, assistant public defender
Connections
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.