Speaking of stupidity... Texas Approves Curriculum Revised by Conservatives AUSTIN, Tex. — After three days of turbulent meetings, the Texas Board of Education on Friday voted to approve a social studies curriculum that will put a conservative stamp on history and economics textbooks, stressing the superiority of American capitalism, questioning the Founding Father’s commitment to a purely secular government and presenting Republican political philosophies in a more positive light. ------- So sad for the once great state of Texas.
It probably deserves its own thread. But it is crazy that Texas is trying to actually mandate lessening children's comprehension of history.
some more from the Texas BOE – To avoid exposing students to “transvestites, transsexuals and who knows what else,” the Board struck the curriculum’s reference to “sex and gender as social constructs.” – The Board removed Thomas Jefferson from the Texas curriculum, “replacing him with religious right icon John Calvin.” – The Board refused to require that “students learn that the Constitution prevents the U.S. government from promoting one religion over all others.” – The Board struck the word “democratic” from the description of the U.S. government, instead terming it a “constitutional republic.”
They only removed him from discussions about the "Enlightenment" era, didn't they? You can't really cut him out altogether.
You know, it'd be pretty disturbing if all conservative states started teaching things differently from all the liberal states. It's just a new division of the union based off some vapid ideologies has begun forming; and "us vs. them" mentality across the nation. Fortunately, for now, it's just Texans that's acting like the loony right in terms of education. What's they're doing reminds me of the Conservative Bible project recently.
People who have used misleading and misinforming inflammatory rhetoric to advance their short-term political interests clearly have no idea that there is a long-term effect. It's like smoking a cigarette for the short-term buzz. You eventually up your risk of lung cancer, but it seems too remote to consider. How do you unpolarize people once you polarize them? Maybe it's more like a magnetic material. Once you magnetize it, you're going to have to wait a good long time for it to return to an unmagnetized state. And the more magnets you create in a room, the more likely everything else is to become magnetized. God but that's nerdy and depressing.
Problem is, Texas buys a LOT of text books, so educational publishers and editors will always format material for the biggest seller, Even if they sell product nationwide. Publishing/marketing education and study material is what I do so I follow the trends very closely. This is not a good thing.
This has been brewing for a long time. This is an excerpt from that Bastion of Liberal Thought, The Wall Street Journal. It is from last summer: A CLOSER LOOK Some suggestions put forth by outside analysts appointed to review Texas K-12 social studies standards. Read the full report by each reviewer at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/teks/social/experts.html Curriculum changes recommended by reviewers appointed by social conservatives on the Texas State Board of Education: Replace Thurgood Marshall with Harriet Tubman or Sam Houston. In first grade, students are expected to study the contributions of Americans who have influenced the course of history. Rev. Peter Marshall, a reviewer, calls Thurgood Marshall -- who as a lawyer argued Brown v. Board of Education and later became the first black justice on the U.S. Supreme Court -- a weak example. Delete Anne Hutchinson from a list of colonial leaders Students learn about colonial history in the fifth grade, and three reviewers suggested that the standards not include Anne Hutchinson, a 17th century figure, among a list of significant leaders. Ms. Hutchinson was exiled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for teaching religious views at odds with the officially sanctioned faith. Delete César Chávez from a list of figures who modeled active participation in the democratic process Two reviewers objected to citing Mr. Chávez, who led a strike and boycott to improve working conditions for immigrant farmhands, as an example of citizenship for fifth-graders. "He's hardly the kind of role model that ought to be held up to our children as someone worthy of emulation," Rev. Marshall wrote. Emphasize study of original documents The three reviewers appointed by social conservatives on the board all say students should study more original documents, rather than relying on a textbook author to interpret them. The current standards rely too much on supplementary material such as poetry, folktales and art, they say, and too little on original documents and historical narratives. Include more study of religious revival movements Evangelist Billy Graham should be included on a list of transformational leaders of the 20th century and students in fifth and eight grades should study the colonial-era religious revival known as the Great Awakening as a force "in shaping a national identity," suggests reviewer Daniel Dreisbach, a professor of public affairs at American University. Replace references to America's "democratic" values with "republican" values Reviewer David Barton suggests swapping out "republican" for "democratic" in teaching materials. As he explains: "We don't pledge allegiance to the flag and the democracy for which it stands." Curriculum changes recommended by reviewers appointed by moderate and liberal members of the Texas State Board of Education: Tone down emphasis on the Cold War Reviewer Lybeth Hodges, a history professor at Texas Woman's University, suggests revising the standards that set current events in the Cold War framework of democracy versus communism. She calls for adding study of Arab nations and Islam. Add more Latino historical figures Reviewer Jesús F. de la Teja, a former state historian, calls for adding names such as Juan de Oñate, who led the Spanish expedition that settled New Mexico and José Antonio Navarro, a proponent of Texas independence. He also recommends a deeper study of Texas history. Reword references to minorities' "contributions" to society Mr. de la Teja argues that it marginalizes women and people of color to talk about their "contributions to society," as though they are standing outside and only offering a few crumbs of value. He prefers standards to use the phrase "role in society," which he says emphasizes that minorities have a significant place in culture and history. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124753078523935615.html
I don't think this is a question of ignorance. Dioxyhydromonoxide doesn't sound like water unless you really break it down and think about it. If you heard it or just glanced it would escape a lot of people's minds. I bet that would happen around the world. This gimmick didn't expose ignorance but rather complacency. The fact that people don't question. Put something that SOUNDS dangerous and they all buy in. They just assume that if someone is petitioning and telling them that something is dangerous - that it must be dangerous. This isn't about ignorance, it's about gullibility.
FWIW, Don McLeroy, one of the true wingnuts on the Board of Education, lost his re-election bid to a moderate Republican in the primary. My favorite McLeroy quote:
But see the problem is most people wouldn't know that was water like you're saying. HOWEVER, any rational person would question the implied "dangers" and would thus find out through interpretation that it's just water. It's a bit off topic, but the problem I see in that water example is outside factors -- yes gullibility is a reason, but I believe it would have more to do with a couple of people going along with others who are blindly signing the fictitious petition. Kind of like Asch's Conformity Experiment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGfJUi90Pxc
Here's a more detailed video of the Asch experiment: <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TYIh4MkcfJA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TYIh4MkcfJA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> [/off topic]
Would they? Would any rational person question the dangers if they trust the message bearer? If someone came to you and said there was a gunmen in the building - would you QUESTION the implied "danger"? Or would you get out of the building? Or maybe these people just don't care and are willing to sign their name to a petition just to appease the person and not deal with the awkwardness of saying no.
