It's definitely got a section in The American Pageant, a textbook used for Advanced Placement US history in some high schools. I was aware of the counterinsurgency war but didn't know many specifics. I think I just assumed "It was like Vietnam, but with more racism, less press coverage, and consequently more murder of civilians."

I believe I remember also learning that Kipling published White Man's Burden at the same as a caution against that war.