This subject has been hit hard, but I couldn't let it go by. I've been in education for thirteen years and I've spent ten of them teaching history. I've taught U.S. History and World History and it might be a bit of an exaggeration, but I hold history to be sacred. Therefore, I was saddened by the actions of the Texas School board this past week. Texas is the biggest market for textbook writers, so they can't ignore what Texas does. Quite the contrary, millions of school children across the nation will go without Thomas Jefferson and "the separation of church and state" in their textbooks.
Before I move onto my opinion let me talk first about history. I still remember Joe Biden's line from the vice-presidential debate. He told Sarah Palin that "past was prologue." I think most history teachers would agree with that statement History has been more difficult to teach as time has gone on. Part of that is natural course of things. When we add events to our history we make it more difficult to teach those events in 180 instructional days. The TAKS test (and coming of the STAR test) makes this more difficult. The TAKS test has traditionally hit Europe, China, India, Egypt, and the United States very hard. If you aren't lucky enough to live in one of those places then you can count on Texas children not learning about those areas. So, make no mistake, we are systematically eliminating history without an official decree.
This saddens me. A large part of history is simply learning about different groups of people. Look around at those the tea party movement, at those in the anti-immigration movement, and people that have no idea of where Chile or Haiti and you understand the acute need for history in our schools. History doesn't necessary give us more earning power. It simply makes us more well-rounded people. When we can critically look at what has happened in the past we can apply that same kind of eye on our own lives. We can apply that same kind of critical eye on current events. In essence, we become better citizens and voters.
Thus, this brings me to the state school board. Their understanding of history makes me want to cry. You can't remove events from our past. It's akin to wiping up a stain with water. Sure, it might appear to be gone, but the stench will be left behind. Remove an event from the textbook and it doesn't disappear. Moreover, when you remove that event it shows that you are afraid of it. Why are we afraid of Thomas Jefferson? It is because he would disagree with your point of view?
I've always been taught that light is the best disinfectant. A good history teacher doesn't simply make kids memorize an event and then walk away. You look at the who, what, when, where, and most important, the why. Just because something happened doesn't make it right. Conservatives have the right to disagree with Jefferson's lifestyle, values, actions, and opinions. They have the right to point out that "the separation of church and state" actually came in a letter between Jefferson and Madison. It is not a part of any of the founding documents. If you taught that then people might be more sensitive to your point of view. If you remove it completely then you are telling me that something scares you.
Exceptionalism is not sustainable this way. You can't just throw a bunch of scented candles on internment camps, the extermination of most of our native Americans, the lack of civil rights until the 1960s, and the denigration of women for most of our history. When kids learn these things they also learn that they were wrong. They know why. Those are the people that will lead our nation when we near retirement. Do we want them to have a healthy understanding of what they should not do, or do we want them to think America is and always was perfect? Then, they may give into those feelings to discriminate. It wouldn't be wrong because America is never wrong.
Of course, they are free to own those events in our past. They are free to argue that those were all good things. I never discouraged anyone in my classes to utter those beliefs. The problem is that when you do argue for them, you are outed as a racist, sexist, and whatever other ist you can think of. No one would vote for such a person. On the other hand, if you convince people that those things never happened then you can go on behaving that way with impunity. Then, our kids in the classroom will learn about our awesome God and America's Christian heritage. All the while, they'll be wondering where that stench is coming from.
This tactic by the GOP is the same as denying the Holocaust happened. The word Fascism has less of a sting when not associated with murdering millions of innocent people.
These so-called "pillars of the community' don't have a problem with distorting the truth. Because for them "the ends justifies the means". It has always been this way for them.
Thanks for stopping by. You are correct about using second hand information. I was utilizing summaries of the meetings and not the yet to be released standard. It is rather hard though not to comment when it has gotten so much attention. I honestly didn't anticipate my piece being picked up by the Chronicle which is where I assume you picked it up. Since our site is not an education site per se, I have to try to bridge the gap between those of us in the field and lay people. Prattling on about TEKS is something that would lose my audience. However, I always welcome others like yourself to come in and fill in the blanks.
You're right about the "evil" monicker. Probably used in error more often than not. We ALL think we are right. But, that doesn't make everybody else wrong.
My mother said everybody is entitled to their opinion. BUT, have an INFORMED opinion. Don't rush to judgement. SEEK the facts first.
Regrettably, I think there is one segment of society that follows those rules and another segment that does not. And, it seems to me, the less informed ones are the ones that are most vocal. As the saying goes, "An empty barrell makes the most noise."
Two words..........."The Equalizer"
Scott, you know that Thomas Jefferson was not removed from the history standards. He was removed from a single TEK at a single grade level. And for all that I disagree with that decision (and will work to get it changed), I refuse to stand by and allow the falsehoods that are being put out there by those with an ideological bias every bit as great as the more extreme members of the SBOE to stand unchallenged.
What's more, you are speaking based upon second and third hand accounts of what happened during the March meeting. You have not yet seen the current version of the TEKS because they have not been posted yet. That makes it clear that you are not working with the primary source document which you criticize and condemn. Speaking as a fellow social studies teacher, I know that we would both charitably chastise a student who ever did such a thing in our classroom.
The revised TEKS will be up soon. The public comment period will start at that point. Once we have the actual document in hand, then we can both comment with greater certainty and authority -- and urge others to do the same. I'll be submitting extensive comments on multiple grade levels, and hope you will do the same. And I will post my submission at my site -- and hope you will post yours here. With enough voices commenting on the bad points, I believe we can get the bad points changed.
In my opinion they are weak in their faith, because one that truly believes does NOT need the outside world to validate or confirm their beliefs. They don't need to pass laws or rewrite text books...insert phrases into the pledge of allegience or run around declaring to all and sundry that this nation is a CHRISTIAN nation. A person secure in their faith does not see the inclusion of other religions or viewpoints as a diminishment of their own, some kind of attack against it....and above all doesn't seek to force others to abide by their own precepts and traditions.(in other words, ISN'T f'ed in the head...)
Maybe I'm a nice guy, maybe my psychology background is shining through, or maybe I am just naive, but I think most of the people we call evil aren't evil at all. They are people that want what is best for America. Their version is just a little warped and they are willing to go further than anyone else, because they don't understand that by using the methods they are using, they are already breaking that sacred promise.
This hardly makes them evil. They are not evil in the way say Dick Cheney is. They are simply misguided souls. In a lot of ways, that's a whole lot worse. They behave the way some of our parents did when they thought we would never find out about sex if they never mentioned it to us. Kids are fairly tolerant, but they tune you out when they figure out you are lying to them.
This is why the best way to teach history is to lay it all out. Tell them what happened. Tell them the things that led up to what happened. Tell them the effects of what happened. Then, have a frank discussion over whether it was a good or bad thing. Then, you are telling them the truth and if you have an agenda, you can insert it at the end when you attributing a value to the facts. We all have one even if we pretend we don't. If I'm upfront about that too then at least I give students the opportunity to buy into or not.
One of the great things about history is that no two history teachers will teach it the same way. We all have out own spin on events. We all have out periods in history we like and hate. You teach all of it though. You may not have the same energy when discussion the feudal period as would talking about the renaissance or ancient Rome, but you teach it all just the same. You don't win over hearts and minds by lying to people. You win them over by making the best case for your point of view.
Two words..........."The Equalizer"
In my younger years, I remember being absolutely horrified when I would read of other countries that literally tried to erase history from their school textbooks. Countries such as the then-USSR and China come to mind. I remember thinking how wrong it was.
I remember that Nazi Germany tried the same thing. Hitler tried this.
And now the rightwing whackjobs are jumping on the bandwagon of rewriting history if they don't like what it says.
Damn. Hitler and Joe McCarthy must be SO proud of their ideological descendants today.
I'm sickened. I am just as horrified as I was back then. More so, actually. Because I always thought that America - and Americans - were better than that.
I was wrong.
My brother always said these people are DANGEROUS. He was right. As he usually was. They are heartless, evil people.
Is this the Texas form of book burning ?
these people are absolutely fucked in the head...I'm sorry but i can think of no other phrase that adequately expresses my disgust and contempt for people that think forcing their religious viewpoints on children as a matter of history is okay(just so long as it's the RIGHT religion, or course) Why did they even bother ordering NEW textbooks when they could have just ordered a reprint from 1955? That seems to be the timeframe they are most comfortable with...when children could be forced to pray in school, the gays were safely locked in the closet, and the brown people knew their place.
This state needs a collective enema...
I'd just as soon the SBOE keep their noses out of.....well.......uh....... education.