First question: I think the idea that France should discuss the good of colonialism is just as bad as if the U.S. were to discuss the good of segregation.  We would be laughed off the world stage forever.  This is just a bad idea all around.

Second one: When I was in public high school (2000-04), we learned about some of the more nasty aspects of U.S. imperialism.  Things such as our abominable conduct in Hawaii in the 1800's, the Spanish-American War, our wars in Latin America, and of course the Indian Wars from the English colonies until 1890.  It was far more in-depth when I entered college, but my public education did give us an basic idea that all was not as good as others would have us believe.