Students, teachers and historians reflect on what has changed – and what should change – about the way we teach presidential history today.

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Americans are grappling with the complex legacies of former presidents.

In just the past few weeks, a Theodore Roosevelt statue came down in New York City and a high school in New Jersey named after Woodrow Wilson officially decided to drop the president’s name.

Today’s episode is hosted by Lilian Cunningham and looks to students, teachers and presidential historians to illuminate what has – and hasn’t – changed about how the presidency is taught in the classroom.

We’re joined by Professors Barbara Perry of the University of Virginia and Julian Zelizer of Princeton University; Clint Smith, author of “How the Word is Passed”; and the AP government and politics class of teacher Michael Martirone.

To learn more about the life and legacy of every single American president, check out “The Presidential” podcast: Listen here.

If you value the journalism you hear in this podcast, please subscribe to The Washington Post. We have a deal for our listeners – one year of unlimited access to everything The Post publishes for just $29. To sign up, go to washingtonpost.com/subscribe.

Happy Presidents’ Day! Or … not? 24:51 Share

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Happy Presidents’ Day! Or … not?