A present for those who watch The Tonight Show's, "Jaywalking." Any Thoughts? What do the teenagers out there think? --- "Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it." http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/editorial/548040 May 9, 2000, 6:26PM Teens' historical ignorance is no laughing matter By JOAN SILVERMAN If you watch The Tonight Show, you've probably seen Jay Leno interviewing "regular" folks on the street. In his "Jaywalking " segments, Leno asks the most basic questions about common measurements, history and holidays - only to be taken aback by the replies. He might ask, for instance, how many ounces there are in a pint, and someone will respond by asking whether he means a pint of Haagen-Dazs ice cream. Just when you're wondering where Leno finds these folks, some survey will crop up with an answer. Fact is, our high schools are filled with future "Jaywalkers," as the following evidence suggests. A new Gallup poll indicates that American teen-agers are at a loss when it comes to our nation's history. Some facts: A majority of teens, aged 13 to 17, didn't know when Christopher Columbus discovered America; couldn't identify the year of our nation's birth; and couldn't name the document that guarantees a free press. Moreover, only a minority could accurately link Indira Gandhi, Napoleon and Winston Churchill to their countries of origin. Adolf Hitler was the only leader who was properly matched to his country by a majority of respondents. By most standards, these facts might be considered grim. But the really bad news is yet to come: These teen-agers will grow up to be adults -- and some of them teachers. The result of their knowledge may resemble this real-life tale: A friend recently returned to college to finish her bachelor's degree. After a 30-year absence from the classroom, she now attends courses at the University of North Texas. She isn't just older than her undergraduate classmates; she's old enough to be their mother. And she's got a decade or two on her political science teacher, as well. Mr. Smith, as I'll call him, is no slouch. He's well-organized, knows his material and relates well to the students. Yet any detour from his prepared speech can throw off his game. In a recent discussion about racial issues during the 1960s in the South, a student asked whether George Wallace was governor of Mississippi at the time. "Yes," confirmed Smith. In the fifth row, however, a hand was waving for attention. "George Wallace was governor of Alabama, not Mississippi," my friend offered, by way of correction. Then there was the one about presidential politics. A student asked whether Barry Goldwater ran against Franklin Roosevelt for the presidency. The teacher appeared confused, and he let the question go. My friend, acting as historian-by-default, couldn't sit quietly by. FDR served in the '30s and '40s, she countered. Goldwater ran for president in 1964. "Right," acknowledged Smith. If you're old enough to know these facts firsthand, these mistakes are funny in a bleak, perverse sort of way. Yet they reflect a larger problem. History isn't just a hodgepodge of facts, randomly amassed. It entails a sequence of events and specific relationships among people and nations. Granted, the particular facts aren't always critical; but a pattern of ignorance, misguided assumptions and wrong information makes a poor foundation for thought. It may not be long before teen-agers ask questions like, "Did Nixon free the slaves, and was that the reason for World War I?" It's no laughing matter. ------------------ Stay Cool...
While I'd have to admit that I am quite distressed about some of the answers that 13 - 17 year olds in the US didn't know the answer to, I'd like to draw your attention to some I heard in a school assembly, about ten years ago (I'm 24 now). The teacher giving the presentation read out a statement about "the youth of today". It detailed their poor attitude, lack of respect, disinterest in physical activities, and low educational standards. It could have been taken from the commentary section of any contemporary newspaper, but it was actually an extract from one of the Ancient Greek letter-writers (maybe Pliny, but I can't remember). It would obviously be better to quote the entire text, but you get the idea. I don't know if younger are necessarily any less well-educated than adults, at any given time (although it seems to be the role of the adult to believe this to be the case). I think this can be summarised by the saying "a person is smart, but people are stupid." Do we think that things have really changed? ------------------
Maybe if ACTUAL history were taught, instead of propaganda and lies, then maybe things would be different. Let's take Columbus, for example. For one, he didn't even land on America much less discover it. Our country was originally discovered by that Viking guy whos name suddenly slips my mind. Columbus landed in the Caribbean. Much (ok, some) of the history taught in this country is obscurred and biased. It's no wonder many minorities and immigrants have a hard time accepting some of this stuff as fact. Anyone else know of more example of false history taught in our schools? ------------------ RocketFuel is taking the summer off!
You mean like the fact that most if not all TEA approved textbooks would have you believe that everything good that's been done in America has been done by whites? These texts love to spout off about how America is a melting pot of ethnic diversity, but they refuse to address any of the accoplishments of minorities.
false history is a common thing is many countries....i went to school in spain during my high school years and things such as the spanish inquisition, the abuse of the aztecs in mexico was completely unheard of to them...we do the same here and i think it comes down to natural pride... i was in hawaii last week and it was weird to see all the japanese at the pearl harbor memorial..needless to say they didnt "win" the war yet they were all piling on to see what they did "win"...again-natural pride in my mind....as romey would say classic myopia ------------------
"Anyone else know of more example of false history taught in our schools?" My favorite is the fact that we were all taught that "American History" started with Columbus' discovery of America. I guess there was no history in North America until that time! ------------------
Surely this is a joke. If anything, the pendulum has swung in the complete opposite direction. I think a lot of people would argue that the opposite is true: that many of the important figures in American history are currently marginalized in favor of multicultural figures of 'diverse' ethnicities, races, or religions. Do you have any specific examples of, for example, a great African-American whose accomplishments A) rank in importance of a degree that makes them integral to a student's understanding of American history, and B) are underemphasized in American education? As an aside, I don't want to hear about the African-American inventor who created peanut butter. I don't want examples such as Edison's assistant, who developed the filament making light bulbs possible. I would like examples-- and you don't have to limit yourself to African-Americans-- of minority figures who you think are marginalized in favor of bit players like Thomas Jefferson, Christopher Columbus, or Abraham Lincoln. And, I would like proof (such as you are able to offer) that these examples are underrepresented in the curriculum of America's government schools.
Your probably right BrianKagy, that the number of minorities or people who are of multiethinic descent have made a far lesser impact than the mainstream native "caucasian-Americans". While I may have no proof for you on what is taught in the American public school system, because I don't live there, many of these minority figures never really had a chance to showcase their attributes until recently. Discrimination and prejudice made it near impossible for these people to achieve anything close to the level of the caucasian-americans. Up until the 60s, they had trouble integrating with mainstream society, let alone finding cures, making revolutionary discoveries or becoming a great national leader. And this list does not just include african-americans, but the chinese, indians, east europeans, etc also had to overcome improbable obstacles and daunting hurdles that you and I could not even imagine - just to earn respect. Even now, discrimination is not completely iradicated, and some places no less present than decades before. So basiclly, its true that people of ethnic descent may not have had the same positive impact as caucasians have, but they haven't really had the opportunity to. Man, I hope this doesn't put me on Kagy's long list of victims on the BBS. Azim da Dream ------------------ True champions do not take their failures to heart and never let success go to their heads.
I'm not wading into these waters, but I did read an interesting article recently about Davy Crockett and his death at the Alamo. Of course, popular legend has it that he and everybody else died in battle, fighting it out until no Texan was left alive. Now, according to accounts from a Mexican soldier's diary, I believe, it's being said that Crockett actually surrendered and was subsequently executed by Santa Anna. Now that's an account I was never taught in the Texas public schools. ------------------
Brian, the guy that invented peanut butter was George Washington Carver, but he did far more than that. He basically helped transform the south from a cotton producing region to a peanut producing region that not only was better for the soil but also for the sharecroppers and former slaves. Beyond that, he may have been one of the most brilliant scientific minds America has ever known. In addition to peanut butter and other diet-based uses for peanuts, he helped to treat the atrophied muscles of polio patients with peanut oil with astonishing results. His use of peanuts and sweet potatoes went far beyond anything science had ever known to include the production of axle grease, coffee, cosmetics, printer's ink and glue that was used for years in US postage stamps. Henry Ford and Thomas Edison called him the greatest scientific mind of their time. Other notable African Americans glossed over by American history include Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglas and Harriet Tubman just to name a few. The point is that not just African Americans, but Native Americans and other non-anglo groups' impact on America as we know have definitely been marginalized in the education system. My father is a teacher in HISD and he and I have discussed this in the past. Unfortunately, even some great anglo minds are glossed over in American History because the primary focus of history class tends to be war and politics. Most of the great accomplishments in America were made during peace time and have little to do with politics, but that just isn't part of the ciriculum. ------------------ "No one gets out ALIVE!" SaveOurRockets.com
Go pick up any copy of Uncle John's Bathroom Reader. You will be amazed at the bits and pieces of information you will pick up. The whole Davy Crockett saga is explained as best as it can be with the information that is available. I'm pretty certain that Jeff is an Uncle John fan. I remember reading a recent post where he explained something and I'm like, "This sounds all too familiar...." and then it occured to me, "...I just read that the other day!" I can't seem to find that post..... ------------------ RocketFuel is taking the summer off!
As for your example, I think Jeff supplied that eloquently. As for your message, I guess Black history week IS enough to teach me everything that is substantial about Black Americans impact on the growth of our nation... My bad. The only Black American worth significant class time IS MLK. My bad. I can't speak on behalf of every product of American public education, but only when and where I came up. Although, I'm sure I'm not alone.
Uncle John's is pretty cool although I can't profess to reading it more than the couple of times I've picked it up at stores. My wife is usually my supplier of info. She reads more in a week than most people do in a year. One other point I thought I would make on American history in general. I think the biggest issue with regard to whether or not minorities are represented has more to do with the fact that they are as much a part of Americans as whites are. So often our conversations are tempered by our skewed view of the world though our own ideology. This is no different with regard to history. Just because someone reported it in the newspaper or in a textbook doesn't necessarily make it factual. Some information is spun just like news from a political campaign. I think that my biggest dispute with the reporting of history has to do with the fact that we are all humans first, Americans second and race, religion, ideology all falls somewhere in between. Understanding that our education systems fall far short of what is needed to have a balanced and rational view of history is extremely important. I believe that education as a wise person once said is not to fill a brain with facts and figures but to "replace an empty mind with an open one." Unfortunatley, most times education doesn't educate as much as is informs. We need more teaching how to learn instead of just teaching rote memorization. Learning how to learn should be the goal of any good education system and, sadly, ours isn't anywhere close to this ideal. ------------------ "No one gets out ALIVE!" SaveOurRockets.com
Jeff: Somehow you tend to say what think better than I could express myself. Thank you. ------------------ - hoopjunkie "when you come in da HOOD... things change."
The school issue brings up an interesting point. Both of my parents are teachers, and part of the problem they are running into in school is an increasing emphasis on teaching kids to take the TAAS, TASP, and other standardized tests. The message given in the school districts, starting at the Superintendent, is to teach the kids to pass the test first, and other knowledge is secondary. This has almost led to a culture of learn what you have to know, and move on. Of course, our fast paced society, where 'good enough to do the job' is empasized, doesn't help. I'm afraid things like history, politics, and general common sense are often pushed to the side. GBRocksFan, that's interesting information about the Greek Phlilosopher. All the more reason to encourage people to learn. Hey Jeff -- maybe if someone gave Heypartner a copy of Uncle John's Bathroom Reader, he wouldn't have to take his computer in there! ------------------ Stay Cool...
DC: Heypartner gives a whole new meaning to the term laptop! As for teaching, you are right on the money. My father spends the majority of his time teaching the TAAS or as he calls it: "the f*&#ing TAAS!" He hates it and hates the fact that it takes away real opportunities for learning from his students. ------------------ "No one gets out ALIVE!" SaveOurRockets.com
No, things wouldn't be different. If actual history were taught, there'd just be as many people not knowing that, too. The question isn't "what's being taught?", it's "why isn't it being learned?". Regarding immigrants not being able to believe much of the history being taught as facts, again, I'd have to disagree. My bet is that most first generation immigrants couldn't care less. Again, personal opinion not intended to offend you. ------------------ ?
Although I'm not sure I'd go to the extent that BrianKagy did, I'll have to agree with most of what he said. The fact is, the majority of history in this country is about the "white man" because well, hell, they're the ones that made most of the history of this country. Sure there are exceptions and in many cases, several exemplary exceptions, however they are the exception and not the rule. On the other hand, also consider the reason this is true. This country, as young as it is, didn't give equal rights to minorities (specifically African Americans) until VERY recently. This equality that was restrained from them also included equality-in-education. While I agree with BK in the effect, nobody should deny the cause. ------------------ ?
Let me modify your thinking a bit, Dr. To pass off the contribution of other ethnicities is unfair and dismissive at best. Just because history didn't record their achievements doesn't make them insignificant. As much as we white men would like to take credit for all that is good, our kind is also responsible for much of what is bad. If we want the credit, we must also take the responsibility. ------------------ "No one gets out ALIVE!" SaveOurRockets.com
