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What Did You Learn in School Today? (The Texas Version)
Millions of Texas students head back to school this week confronted by a dramatically altered, state-mandated social studies curriculum.
The contentious hearings of the Texas State Board of Education received considerable attention in the spring of 2010, but seem to have fallen out of the public consciousness as the new school year begins. The new curriculum, officially called the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, deserves renewed attention, as it will undoubtedly surprise most Texans.
The fiercest battle during the board's hearings was fought over the 11th-grade history curriculum, which in Texas is "United States History since 1877." The exception to that timeline is the new state-mandated "Celebrate Freedom Week," during which students will learn about our founding fathers. That sounds simple enough, except that the only founding fathers included in the curriculum are Benjamin Rush, John Hancock, John Jay, John Witherspoon, John Peter Muhlenberg, Charles Carroll and Jonathan Trumbull Sr. What about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson or John Adams? They are nowhere to be found in the new high school TEKS. Students apparently learned everything they need to know about them in eighth grade.
As part of the board's effort to emphasize the positives in American history, students will no longer learn about "American imperialism." Instead students will discuss "American expansionism" and come to understand how "missionaries moved the United States into the position of a world power." The board eliminated mention of our government's use of propaganda during World War I, and instead of analyzing Truman's decision to use the atomic bomb at the end of World War II, students will now analyze the development of the bomb. Additionally, students will now "evaluate efforts by international organizations to undermine U.S. sovereignty." 
The board included Estee Lauder in the state curriculum, but not George Washington.
Perhaps you have heard something about a labor movement in the 20th century? No longer will your children. The only reference to a 20th-century labor movement will come when learning about Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. No mention of the Fair Labor Standards Act or the National Labor Relations Act. No mention of strikes or any labor dispute. The words "labor movement" were taken out of the TEKS. Perhaps there is not enough time because students must now "understand how the free enterprise system drives technological innovation ... such as cell phones, inexpensive personal computers and global positioning products."
Students will learn about the contributions of Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority. Maybe the students will read Falwell's claim that feminists and homosexuals were partially responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Phyllis Schlafly, the Heritage Foundation and the NRA are all included. Students will also be required to "discuss the meaning of ‘In God We Trust.' "
History in Texas classrooms will be decidedly different from when we were students. I never learned "both the positive and negative impacts of ... country and western music" in my high school history class. Where would you rate Estée Lauder in terms of historical importance to our country? If you think she is one of the 68 most important historical figures, you agree with the board. Yes, the board included her in the state curriculum, but not George Washington.
I also never learned that the findings of the House Committee on Un-American Activities were confirmed, perhaps because it is not true. It puts teachers in an awkward position by asking them to teach something that is historically inaccurate. I will not have to deal with that issue in some of my classes because my Advanced Placement U.S. History classes are not required to follow the state curriculum. I am guessing that the Texas Education Agency realizes that students could never pass national exams while learning the state-mandated curriculum.
During the next decade, we should not be surprised when university professors lament that Texas students are not prepared for college. Malcolm X once said, "Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today." You might remember a historical figure named Malcolm X, but your children won't. Malcolm X is not in the social studies curriculum in Texas. Now if you will excuse me, I have to do some research on Estée Lauder. She was not mentioned in any of my graduate history courses, either.
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118 Comments so far
Show AllGet a copy of Lies My Teacher Told Me by Jim Loewen to every student in Texas ASAP.
I'll look for it, Krycek.
Meanwhile, give a glance to Charlie Pierce's "Idiot America: How Stupidity Became a Virtue in the Land of the Free". Fun read. (Pierce appears on NPR's "Wait, wait...don't tell me!")
Ah, good deal. That's one of the few shows on NPR I can still listen to. I'll check that one out.
This has far bigger implications than anyone has pointed out so far in this discussion: changes in Texas school curricula may actually shape the larger U.S. school curricula simply because of the fact that Texas schools are the largest buyer of textbooks in the U.S.: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/education/13texas.html
I was actually wondering about that. That's been a story for years, but maybe the "Freedom Week" curriculum uses non-textbook material.
Or, y'know, since they don't seem to be teaching much history at all, maybe Texas will save some pennies and not supply textbooks at all.
Well, a curriculum most likely relies upon some books or texts (and other teaching aids) of some kind.... I wonder, too.
Maybe this should console us: at least Estee Lauder kinda *looks like* George Washington in those photos?
George wears her lipstick...
Looked better in it, too.
And unlike the evolution-creationism controversy, distortions of history are not going to generate court cases regarding teaching religion in the classroom. So these nincompoops may well have a large impact on the nation's textbooks.
This is not new news. This has been going on for decades. I wrote about it a couple of years ago in an article titled THE TEXAS TEXTBOOK MASSACRE. It is not only Texas. This is a national problem that has existed for decades.
Most schools are controlled by local school boards which are not much better in New York or Vermont than they are in Texas. Why do you think so many are ready to enlist and go to other countries to kill kids and other civilians there? It is because they were brain-washed by the educational system that can transform the nice kid next door into a 'patriotic' killer.
It is MUCH more than the educational system; it is the notion of our vastly superior (god-endorsed) culture, our binary view of solutions to problems, our worship of the military, our demonizing of religions (and cultures) we do not understand, our notion that we own and should control the world.
while I appreciate the thrust of this article, it must be said that, to be thorough in one's criticism, one must not stop at berating Texas for their current educational slant...
one must confront the educational slants that exist in every state, as even the topics this author mentions as included in his education are to be held suspect...
it is one thing to make fun of what they are teaching now...it is another to confront the fact that what you were taught is little different, regarding truth and import...
I had a classmate from the South who advised anyone visiting Texas to not mention to Texans that their state used to belong to Mexico. So I wonder how the text will deal with Texas' origins.
Never confuse schooling with education.
Precisely!
"...American schools fail to educate because that is not their function. Their function is to institutionalize children at an early age. In due course, they will go to other institutions: jails, psychiatric hospitals, the military, or, for those who can learn obedience while retaining some semblance of sanity, colleges and universities. There is a reason why jails, hospitals and schools are often architecturally indistinguishable; they are but different parts of the same system, representing different phases of the institutionalization life cycle."
Dmitry Orlow, "Reinventing Collapse"
"...American schools fail to educate because that is not their function. Their function is to institutionalize children at an early age.
Many of us see the truth of this. We homeschool our children for that very reason. How can a committee decide for me what my children will need to learn to be successful in their chosen endeavors?
And BTW, despite the stereotypes of us being stupid Christian Conservatives who teach anti-science to our kids, my children understand both sides of the origins issue. That actually makes them more informed than kids whose knowledge of Origins consist of "Science has Proven Religion to be Untrue" (This could be considered religious indoctrination in my opinion.)"
My students learn critical thinking and question assumptions that are thrust at them as Truth and Reality. They are also familiar with Benjamin Rush, AND George Washington.
And though I ask to not be prejudged for my and my family's beliefs, as nominal members of a local homeschool community, we are often stunned by the brainwashing that occurs in Christ's name in home schools as well. One pet peeve of ours is that religious homeschoolers and their curricula tend to make all of the Founding Fathers into Devout Christians. They were not. I read a book called George Washington and Religion. I shared this book with my kids, and now they catch it whenever they hear Right-Wing ideologues tell us that America has always been a Christian nation.
I want my children to be able to navigate the difficult and deceptive world they were born into. Critical thinking is imperative to this goal, and will not be taught in schools.
One way we attempt this is by participating in and analyzing, articles and comments on CD and other progressive news sites. Sometimes we go to, watch or listen to, Conservative programming. My 11 year old can spot THAT BS from a mile away!
I write this not to take aim at anyone or any group of people, but to encourage folks to consider taking responsibility for their kids education in this absurd time.
I am new to progressive thought and ideology, so I have not yet pinpointed the "official" Progressive stance on Home School.
It seems that we (progressives) hate brainwashing, yet support public programs of all sorts. We want an informed, critical and active citizenry, but dislike the idea of parents sequestering their kids and teaching them non-standardized material.
So I am a little confused. I guess public education should be the best choice, but now it seems to be little more than an unfunded liability for the Government. Good intentions and good teachers are not enough. When public schools shut down--eventually we will have to prioritize and we all know bombs and guns will win out when there are only enough resources for war or education--homeschool will become a necessity and those who know how to do it will be able to help others get started.
Anyway, comments or ideas are welcome. I am not a know-it-all, I am trying-to-learn-it-all, so please respond in that spirit.
You sound like an exceptional home educator. Unfortunately most home schoolers are not. Many, if not most, isolate their children and teach them all sorts of things, good and bad. Strange misinterpretations of science and history are common, and many parents apparently pass on their own hatred of other races, gays, foreigners and others. That's why progressives tend to favor centralized, standardized education -- it's usually better for most kids than allowing parents to poison their little brains with all sorts of nonsense. I personally believe that the proliferation of home schooling has been disastrous for America -- fueling the know-nothing conservative movement at a time when good education is more important than ever.
Greg,
I appreciate the civil tone of your reply as it is clear you do not approve of HS.
So please hear the smile in my voice as I mention:
It sounds like you are saying, "Parents should not choose what their children learn; Greg should."
But that's the whole issue, isn't it? It is arbitrary and I submit that neither you or a textbook committee knows better than I (or any other parent--to include even adherents to frowned-upon religions) what my children should learn.
I have a son who is in his twenties. When he was 12, Coach told us he was "gonna break his spirit" because A. would rather hide under the stairs than stand in the tropical sun with this huge guy standing over him screaming at him to do more pushups or whatever.
We took him out of school. When someone makes a personal goal to un-make your child, to un-do your best efforts at parenting, it is NOT best for the child or society.
Rant warning:
Here is the punch line in advance--since he left school 10 years ago, he has become an amazing musician who composes orchestral music, plays, rock & roll and emotion-laden works that appeal to the soul.
We had teachers telling us he needs "to come out of his shell", to "communicate more". What a joke! When people hear his music, they cry! The joke is that educators who put themselves in the morally-indefensible position of deciding priorities for another human who is under their authority but for whom they have no personal feeling for and no stake in the outcome, actually believe that they, alone, are qualified to determine what constitutes Communication, what is Worthy.
Arghhh! So it's just beautiful music, so what? If Coach had been allowed to break him, the world would be short about 120 original songs and a brilliant career just starting, worth, say, 30 more years of original compositions. If that does not stir you, how about if he was a savant in science and he was bound to find a cure for ____(you fill in the blank).
Standardized education smells to me like the situation with our militarized police: poorly trained, bitter and underpaid tyrants take full advantage of their limited authority to exert their will on their hapless charges. How can it be standardized if it is so hit-and-miss when it comes to the individual educators who influence your children?
And who can count the dreadful cost of the delicate and priceless gifts that are shamed away in the name of institutional conformity?
Now, to be fair, I have to agree with you about the potential for a terrible education for a HS kid. But remember, it is unfair to judge a movement or group by it's worst-case scenario or by it's most outrageous fringe group.
I know kids who graduated from a religious conservative homeschool and they do fine. Rest assured that when religious parents take it too far, quite often the adult children go another way. Love and all the good things Jesus taught will always reproduce in the next generation, but rigid religiosity usually drives the kids away and will not be carried forth.
In conclusion, let us not confuse education with schooling.
Thanks for sharing.
The issue is this: what are your kids, what is the relationship between a parent and a child? Is a parent the child's God, master, such that the child is effectively a slate, for the parent to write on, a captive mind for the parent to shape however s/he wants?
Does the parent have a right to brainwash his / her child?
"Standardized education smells to me like the situation with our militarized police: poorly trained, bitter and underpaid tyrants take full advantage of their limited authority to exert their will on their hapless charges. How can it be standardized if it is so hit-and-miss when it comes to the individual educators who influence your children?"
What makes you think that most parents with no training in teaching, especially at specialised subjects would do a better job than trained teachers?
You say that your son is musician. Fair enough. How many parents have the musical training to teach their kids music?
Caution -- over-generalization ahead!:
Educationally, homeschool stinks, private school stinks, public school stinks -- the only thing which doesn't stink is teaching people -- kids -- how to find information, how to learn, and how to think for themselves -- how to educate themselves. That's what all school should be, and they fail wherever they don't do that. Sometimes even that stinks, and it can take 50 years to educate oneself, but there is more hope in that that in uncritically swallowing what anyone else says.
This may be about as close to progressive or socialist education as one can get.
Only problem is - if these people do manage to take over completely as they're hell-bent on doing, and managing quite well, thank you, you can bet your life it won't take long before the books begin to burn, and the Internet is scoured clean. All that will be left for anyone to educate themselves with will be their revised editions.
This is as close to the real thing as it gets. Equip them to learn, to follow their passions and gifting. Teach them to find the information they need, and teach them to think and analyze. Teach them skills in relationships, because that, not income, decides if a person is happy in life.
Teach them to access resources and to doubt and double-check sources.
Understand that when schooling is over, education continues, and we are always growing and learning.
Thanks for the response. Some call this program "unschooling" and it makes the world the child's curriculum. This is what we do.
It was refreshing to read your comment. We homeschool our children and consider ourselves progressives as well. It is very hard to find other homeschooling families with whom we can interact, simply because so many put their religion first; they rewrite history and ignore science to further support their religious beliefs. We homeschool because, above all else, we value our children's right to learn to think for themselves. I do not mean to speak for you, but I am assuming that we are both the sort of parents who would allow their children to go to public schools if public schools valued critical thinking. Unfortunately, most homeschoolers are "sequestering their kids" for an even worse sort of brainwashing than occurs in public schools. It gives us all a bad name. Thank you for showing the other side of homeschoolers.
It is nice to hear from you. It is a lonely world when we are censured by our fellow homeschoolers because we are not religious enough, and frowned upon by others for being too religious.
I appreciate you recognizing that both systems amount to brainwashing. P.S. is what allowed Japan to "do it's thing" in the 30's and 40's. (This from an obscure book on the history of Japan, which I cannot cite as I lost the book when I moved--sorry.)
If you read my story above, you will see that we had/have multiple issues with public schooling, yet we support it as the best solution for most people, especially those parents who have trouble providing the most basic necessities...
The issue of Education will always be subjective and mutable. Athens and Sparta--which education was more appropriate? Depends on which city you lived in, I guess.
We all do our best, don't we?
My 8 y.o. daughter says, "Don't they know that you and Mom do what you think is best for us?"
Wisdom.
please understand I am in support of your position...
I am reminded of the old line:
how can I soar with eagles when I'm surrounded by turkeys?
the truth, of course, is not funny, at all...
when society's prevailing trends are bad, how does one counter?
how do I counsel my 17-year-old son against war when every other facet of society is encouraging such?
if society requires the programming known as schooling, how does one circumvent the propaganda, yet still satisfy the educational criteria of the hiring corporation?
when does one forego employment, rather than build drones?
I have simply decided to tell the truth as much as possible, consider the consequences of adhering, or not, to any given trend, and let the chips fall...
could be age...
I liked your post...
***
if society requires the programming known as schooling, how does one circumvent the propaganda, yet still satisfy the educational criteria of the hiring corporation?
I have simply decided to tell the truth as much as possible, consider the consequences of adhering, or not, to any given trend, and let the chips fall...
***
This is the question and this is the answer. It is not a simple issue and each trend or subject or issue must be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, which is why I dislike ideology--it attempts to put everything under one "roof" of understanding and prescribed response.
How do you counsel your son to avoid military? I don't know. I have a son in the service and if this were a right-wing site, I would be showered with praise. As it is, I am not ashamed because he is training to be a civil engineer and has plans to improve his community when he gets out. But I was not able to provide opportunity for him at age 19, so he found it where it was.
Now, as for jobs and work, since I dropped the ball with eldest son, I have learned my lesson and we are self-employed. Difficult and thankless though such an endeavor may be, it puts the reins in my hands and I can pass it to my kids. Also, a home business environment is the "real thing", a great way to get kids ready for life.
Thank you for replying to my post.
Joe, I read your posts and while I can't agree on the idea of turning to homeschooling especially at a time when both the man and woman have to work just to earn enough to keep up with the costs of living, I respect your thoughts on the matter. Both my wife and I have been self-employed since last year but I'm still not sure that we would be able to afford homeschooling in a manner that is sustainable. We wouldn't want the child(ren) to suffer from any sudden financial hits that we unexpectedly run into. By the way, good luck to your son and it's not your fault or his given that we live at a time where we're forced to pick between goodwill and survival and that trying to put the two together is nearly impossible. All the best to you and him.
Thanks for the good thoughts. Unfortunately, when I get in my advocacy mode, it may sound like I am saying my way is the only way. I understand that everyone's situation is unique. I am fortunate that I had the opportunity to start my business and get it in profit in the first year, and that it is a business that helps people feed their families so I am not a net drain on my community (like some businesses are).
And to be truthful, I did not discourage my son from joining the USAF. We are still struggling to figure it all out (a progressive worldview colliding with a Conservative upbringing), but at the time, we sent him off to the sounds of hero worship and marching music. Yes, it was an economic decision, but at the time we were proud as can be. Not of our wonderful son, but that he was going to be an All-American Hero!
Actually, he is a hero to his younger siblings as they are now exempt from conscription, as I understand it...
Joe, your son is not alone. I kind of had a similar experience but not quite the same. Two years ago, when I came to this site, the day I let it out that I was employed at a company that does a great deal of its business with the MIC, all hell broke loose on the forum. That would change some of the course on discussing the military and its relationship to our economy. A few rogues on other liberal sites took my discussions and tried to frame me as "baby killer" but I fought back and even got a lot of sympathy from some of the other posters who questioned them about their moral hypocrisy and brought up discussions on class conscious. Now, whether your son is a hero or not is open to debate but in some ways, I can see how he's a hero assuming that from all this he grew a class conscious or tried his best.
What you said about your business and profit brings up another interesting point on capitalism. I'm all for regulated capitalism where it's ok to profit as long as the money gets spent meaningfully and nobody gets hurt. That said, I can't tell you what a big difference it would make if most of companies were like your business and not into economic big bullying. I don't think this country will ever become socialist but we're also aware that we'll have to push for socialism just to get the kind of capitalism where businesses like yours are the norm.
Speaking of community, it's theoretically possible that many families could homeschool their kids, get together for meetings and find lots to agree on in terms of what to teach their children, and then from there build a new public education system for their community. While there's no guarantee that it'll be progressive enough, at least there should be general satisfaction that it wasn't altered by political rogues such as Perry and Bachmann. I've been thinking this one through as I had been rethinking my earlier opposition on homeschooling. Thanks again.
Excellent post, very honest and searching, and I applaud you for teaching your children. I wasn’t allowed to do so for my child due to a very long and painful court process that ensued from a divorce. I discovered John Taylor Gatto about half a year ago and have been recommending people read him and consider how we can educate our children outside the schools since. I’ve suggested co-opts, getting retired people involved, and searching for better ways to teach our children than sending them to these Statist institutions, but generally the response is that homeschooling is for fundamentalist nutcases and we would do better to change the public school systems themselves.
Many very well-intentioned people have tried to do this over the years, and I greatly admire their efforts, but cannot believe it will ever work. You write, “It seems that we (progressives) hate brainwashing, yet support public programs of all sorts.” I’ve been trying to point out that schooling IS brainwashing whenever we try to indoctrinate our children to our point of view, however that view leans left or right or over the edge. We say we want our kids to learn to think creatively and critically. What I have noticed from being around small children, children as young as two, is that they already know how to do that. Schooling is designed to destroy those natural faculties. Small children have a definite tendency toward kindness and fairness. After a few years in school, that tendency is wiped out.
I’ve been working with a friend’s daughter who is being destroyed by her school. What they’ve taught her is that she has learning disabilities and should be on a drug (or two or three) for ADD. It’s hard to work with her because she so much believes they must be right: they are, after all, the experts.
As you can see, this is very dear to my heart. I am so glad you found Gatto.
Be encouraged. Generally the path of least resistance is not the most rewarding. Going with the flow often leads you to the slaughterhouse with the other cattle.
I am impressed that you are so informed and enthusiastic while still a novice at homeschooling. You will make a good leader. Like I said, when it all falls apart, those who cannot afford private school will appreciate an experienced homeschooler who can turn it into a community school. When the time comes.
And in my family of 5 kids, one would be shipped off to the military (which has happened), one would be diagnosed with Asperger's, one would definitely be ADD or ADHD or worse, if they could think of some other letters to add to that. And my youngest daughter would be considered "just bad"--'cause she is! But at home she can be guided with Love. I have one compliant, "good" child. She would thrive in school, except for the fact that there are other kids there, other kids who have their own culture which the adults do NOT determine or influence, and that culture would punish and torture her until all her beauty and goodness was gone. We saw it happen and we intervened.
Our unschool philosophy accepts that learning and doing good is natural to humans. The very nature of the educational institution is to create a standardized child when the parents produced a unique and amazing individual. Not compatible in a lot of ways.
Good luck with your friend's daughter. She needs you.
Estee Lauder? What's next, Michelle Bachman? Oh dear ! Ugh, people, I think we need a new underground for education. Is there a feminist revolution in the "house" ? Never mind, that died out in the 80s.
Still doing the right wing's work for it, by pushing the "Feminism is dead," meme, Max?
As for Estee Lauder, a lot of Southern belle types think make-up was a God-send, and I suppose given their interest in making women into adorable little Stepford wives, the person credited with building a make-up empire would deserve credit... according to their twisted value system.
They sure didn't put Susan B Anthony, or Helen Keller into the group of notables... Helen Keller was quite outspoken on the key social issues of her day; or what about Margaret Mead? Her work truly challenged the gender-based stereotypes that "science" presumed to be true until her anthropological research came up with LIVE proof to discredit those assumptions.
Sioux, most of what you said I agree with. Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. Look, both you and I would prefer to see Susan B. Anthony, Helen Keller, Margaret Mead, and other such famous feminist thinkers and fighters included in our public school curriculm but how do you expect that to happen if there is no feminist movement to stop the Rick Perrys and the Michelle Bachmanns from finishing their destruction of feminism, or what's left of it, and their religious dogma agenda designed to return women to 19th century status in the US? I don't recall ever pushing the "feminism is dead" mantra and I have expressed my disagreement on that. But we can't ignore the fact that feminism isn't what it used to be.
Right now, Estee Lauder is being used to REDEFINE the word "feminism" or finish changing the definition of that word. I can tell you without a doubt that most of the notable historical feminists including the names you mentioned would go insane and scream that "feminism is dead" after looking at what's happening in this country and they wouldn't be saying that for rightwing reasons had they been alive today. That said, a strong feminist movement should be out there fighting tooth and nail so that those notables can continue to be known for their work and efforts to our younger generations to follow up on. If that can't be done and all some people can do is engage in petty insults against others on who "gets it" their personal way on feminism, patriarchy, matriarchy, etc..., then they stand to be part of the problem. Anthony, Keller, Mead, and other such true feminists would not approve of such insulting had they been alive today.
We joke about the yahoos in Texas, but it could serve as a template for the takeover of the U.S. by fascist elements. That is not an exaggeration. Texas is a large, important U.S. state and its education system, along with the rest of its state government, has been hijacked by a well-funded coalition of extreme-right conservatives and Bible-thumping religious fundamentalists. Neither group would hesitate a second before tossing out accepted interpretations of the Constitution and replacing them with their own ruthless, irrational approaches to government. This is serious stuff. America now faces the greatest threat from home-grown fascism than at any time in its history.
All children (and parents) need to be informed that schooling does not necessarily constitute an education and that education does not end with schooling.
I rally just can't believe that this is legal....they are actually twisting history, lying and yes, I would also use H. Zinn's "People's HIstory of the US as a basis in a history course..... There has to be something we can do....because once this stuff starts to get in the minds of the students, especially really young oness..... it's almost too late.....they are then handicapped.....
You can't be anyway wrong about Zinn's book. I am shocked at the u.s. history in that book as all the history courses I took all through school to college just doesn't compare to what really happened in this country and I can say that is the way the elite and corporations want it. They don't want young people learning about the mess this country has for the most part been in since colombus landed here and started butchering the native americans. Or how those big business tycoons have controlled practically everything including the crafting of the ostensible constitution and bill of rights that in actuality PROTECTS those businesses and the elite along with congress, the courts and the president. Or how many times the troops have been called out on the people or the police, especially when people decided to strike the poor wages and working conditions which for the most part has been like sweat shops during the long sordid u.s. history.
I haven't finished reading Zinn's book as it really raises my blood pressure when I do read it, but I am at the point at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th. All of it is sickening and I am pretty much assured it will stay that way until the end. So far there really hasn't been a president that I find as being worth a shit. And all the administrations have for a large part protected and sided with the elite in most matters.
One thing I realized was that when the europeans invaded this hemisphere and killed off almost all its inhabitants, those europeans were destroying the most perfect societies and civilization that has existed in this world. And that goes for the the european destructions of all other indigenous people all over globe wherever the europeans invaded.
I find that part in the article that the students will have to discuss 'in g-d we trust' curious and amusing. They'll have to dig deep to find the 'proper' discussion on that. Like reading Robert Scheer's 'The Great American Stickup'. But that discussion will probably make many 'A's' when they start that up by talking religion.
That brings to mind the way these books are laid out with texass being the state to set the standard and will the other states have to use the taxass school books? I would hope not. I would hope commonsense reigns and other states teach the real thing. And any way it is put, a teacher should know the book he is teaching from and if it is loaded with the claptrap taxass has put into them, I think a wise teacher would somehow relate to his and her classes to read Zinn's 'The People's History of the United States' if they want a real and accurate account of this country from the beginning of the european invasion.
I agree that "People's History" would be a good start. Unfortunately, it is already too late. Look at the Presidential candidates field. OMG!
Better than using Zinn's book, students need to learn about historiography, the different approaches used when studying history.
Once you learn historiography, you will be able to find Zinn's book on your own. Which is why historiography is usually never thought to anyone not majoring in history, since it actually teaches people to think critically on history.
I'm about to read "A Canticle for Leibowitz", which is about the return of religion in a post-apocalyptic world.
It seems appropriate.
Manysummits
-======
You'll find it interesting. In the Canticle, the monks and monasteries have been collecting and preserving whatever was left after the great destruction following the atomic war. Somewhat analogous to the monks preserving ancient records during the dark ages. I see it in a bookstore every once in a while and am glad it is still in print. Good lessons there. Enjoy!
..."Advanced Placement US History classes are not required to follow the state mandated curriculum."
Is that just too rich or what? Gotta keep them prols in their place and votin' Right. Or not voting at all.
What a great post! Sorry I didn't remark on it earler, and I could expand on your point, but think it does fine as it stands.
Like I care. Texans can flip my burgers. They got what they voted for.
Wow, cloning Rick Perry 101.
Need I mention that the Bush Family Mafia and its gang of thieves has heavy interests in the education "business"?
I am facinated that Estee Lauder made it in to Texas' US History. I did a quick check of her bio online and here's an interesting fact from it: "The Estée Lauder company was created in 1935. Her older son, Leonard Lauder, was chief executive of Estée Lauder and is now chairman of the board. Her younger son, Ronald Lauder, is a prominent philanthropist, a Republican political appointee in the Reagan administration, among other endeavors."
In texas, being a Republican political appointee is all it takes to get your Mom into the History textbooks!
No no no, you've missed it by one step. Getting in the Texas history books and being a political appointee are both symptoms. What is the underlying affliction? DONATIONS (pay to play) is the underlying affliction. You want in the Texas history books? Just ask what the going rate is. That's how Pay-To-Play Perry and the rest of the Texas goverment works.