Atheists & Agnostics
Related: About this forumNew Texas textbooks a bit light on historical facts - fighting the troglodytes in TX
August 30, 2015 by Lilandra Ra
Although many concerned citizens, including Aron and me,
testified in protest to certain claims like the theocratic dictator Moses having influenced the American system of government, Texas students will now learn that, and also about what an exceptional snowflake America is. It could have been worse had people not stepped in to remind the Texas State Board of Education that American history is not all white, nor all Right, but even though they stopped some of the shenanigans some of it still got through.
A number of concerned people have contacted us about Texas playing fast and loose with the word history. We have been fighting this issue for years, and others have too, including the nonsectarian secular advocacy group, Texas Freedom Network. Additionally history professors have testified at every stage of the adoption process, but were largely ignored by the SBOE in favor of right wing ideologues. Zack Kopplin, separation of church and state advocate of near celebrity status, has also been there, like he often is in Texas and his native Louisiana. He wrote an article for Slate on testimony before the new books were adopted. Just so you know the caliber of people influencing the SBOE, he quoted Right Wing ideologue and SBOE darling Roy Smith of Truth in Texas Textbooks.
Truth in Texas Textbooks submitted a 469-page document of its complaints to the board of education. One complaint was against a Pearson textbook that showed Sam Houston in a dress. TTT was concerned by the subtle message this imagery is conveying to impressionable 7th grade students. (Pearson responded that the dress was Cherokee garb from the time during which (Houston) lived with the Cherokee.)
TTT was also opposed to the anti-American bias/subliminal messages in a question about the Mexican-American War that made the U.S. out to be the bad guy and Mexico to be the good guy.
...
The biggest stumbling block for textbook publishers is that the SBOE managed to adopt flawed standards in 2010. These standards shoehorn history into the SBOEs agenda of making a history classroom into a bully pulpit where other peoples children are forced to listen to Christian Right Wing propaganda. Lest you think I am exaggerating about the preaching that sometimes goes on in Texas classrooms, as a former Texas teacher, I actually had a a misguided colleague use Social Studies to do just that. We were supposed to teach about world religions, as a part of understanding culture. She told them that unlike other religions, the Ten Commandments actually promise you that you live a long life if you honor your parents.
Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you
Wont teachers like her be thrilled that publishers since the 2010 adoption of the Social Studies standards by the SBOE now will be catering to Religious Right ideology?
(c) Knowledge and skills.
(1) History. The student understands how constitutional government, as developed in America and expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the U.S. Constitution, has been influenced by ideas, people, and historical documents. The student is expected to:
(A) explain major political ideas in history, including the laws of nature and natures God, unalienable rights, divine right of kings, social contract theory, and the rights of resistance to illegitimate government;
(B) identify major intellectual, philosophical, political, and religious traditions that informed the American founding, including Judeo-Christian (especially biblical law), English common law and constitutionalism, Enlightenment, and republicanism, as they address issues of liberty, rights, and responsibilities of individuals;
(C) identify the individuals whose principles of laws and government institutions informed the American founding documents, including those of Moses, William Blackstone, John Locke, and Charles de Montesquieu;
Much more: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/reasonadvocates/2015/08/30/new-texas-textbooks-a-bit-light-on-historical-facts/
If you're from Texas please sign the petition.
progressoid
(50,748 posts)I kid. Keep up the good work.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)And if you can't afford to move away or send your kids to private school you're fucked.
You're welcome and I'm sorry. Couldn't keep it to myself.
progressoid
(50,748 posts)Hope it's temporary. She's too smart for that environment.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)Can't imagine living there.
AlbertCat
(17,505 posts)Well, you could tell your kids the truth at home, instead of just relying on the schools to babysit your minions.
And I don't mean "homeschooling" either. Just tell them not to believe everything in the text books... encourage them to look it up for themselves, get confirmation and do a report on how wrong their text book is for class.... They can learn how information can be skewed and manipulated.
You...yes you, Parents... can encourage your children to think critically and be skeptical.
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)One of my brothers is like that, teaching him critical thinking didn't work. If he reads it it's true.
And you shouldn't have to warn your kids that teachers and textbooks are lying to them.
At least parents are being made aware of this.
AlbertCat
(17,505 posts)Why not? It was happening when I was in school.
And with all the different sources besides one text book today.... it should be easy to find the SAME info presented in 2 ways that seem contradictory.
At least kids could see how info can be manipulated.
But children are individuals, not their parents' clones (actually clones are individuals) so some will get it, some won't.
The worst are parents who just send the kids off to school, and stop there. They don't know what their kid is dong at school or what goes on there. Then get all mad at teachers and the school twice a year on Parent/Teacher day when little Billy isn't doing well.
LiberalAndProud
(12,799 posts)Never mind and fuck the child who had the bad sense to be born to ignorant parents.
onager
(9,356 posts)In 1669 Locke wrote the "Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina," a document meant to govern the land between Virginia and Florida. It was the first printed work associated with his name, according to Wikipedia.
I doubt that the Texas Jesus-Jumpers would approve this language, even today. He's offering sanctuary to Jews and non-believers, and allowing any 7 people who agree on a religion to start their own church. Amazing, for the 17th century:
Article 97:
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/nc05.asp
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)You should be teaching history (and tolerance) in Texas.
nil desperandum
(654 posts)beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)Carl Sagan would have loved Neil.
onager
(9,356 posts)My favorite comment on that war came from the young woman who was my tour guide at Chapultepec Castle in Mexico City:
"You call it the Mexican-American War. We call it 'Invasión de los Norte-Americanos.'"
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)Look at all the myths we were taught just about the first Thanksgiving.