Teaching history in schools often stops at the victors' narrative, but I've seen how local archives reveal a messier, more honest picture. Should we prioritize critical thinking over patriotic pride when covering national events? The French education system's treatment of the Algerian War—silent for decades, now reopened—shows how erasure breeds resentment. Unless we let students question sources and motivations, we're not teaching history; we're just reciting a script. Is a single, uncontested historical narrative worth the cost of intellectual stunting?