What do you all think of this history textbook controversy? (high schools, move)

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

The history book itself, is what I am talking about. Which I thought was the original topic.

Has anyone every actually read it, or reviewed it first hand?

What they're working on is the curriculum, the books come later. Good to see you.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by TXNGL

What they're working on is the curriculum, the books come later. Good to see you.

We were talking about it at school the other day, and nobody really seems to have a clear idea. Lots of misinformation out there, it seems. Good to see you too, hon! We probably won't agree on this subject, but we are are always friends!

[TexasHorseLady]

Does anyone think it's a good idea to tack on a lot of additions/amendments ("a lot of" meaning several hundred) at the last minute, with no time allowed to review them, and then push through a vote? About ANYTHING?

Does that communicate desperation to you?

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by TexasReb

We were talking about it at school the other day, and nobody really seems to have a clear idea. Lots of misinformation out there, it seems. Good to see you too, hon! We probably won't agree on this subject, but we are are always friends!

We've disagreed on it before. No problem there, my friends have always been an eclectic bunch and I wouldn't have it any other way. In most issues I tend to be all over the map anyways. LOL.
Yes, there is tons of misinformation out there on this subject. Three things off the top of my head that I do know they've changed are imperialism is now "expansion", the slave trade is now called "Atlantic triangular trade" (I agree with you that there should be info regarding the African people's part in the "Atlantic triangular trade"), and the word capitalism is now called something else, I need to look that one up again. I really find that one odd!

[Bideshi]

Originally Posted by TeaAndOranges

your churches?

In conclusion, the only thing I would have to thank God for (if I believed in him or her) is that I was not born in Texas, nor do I live there now. Praise Jehovah for that one!

This one Texan is agreed with you on that. Stay where you are.

[TXNGL]

Capitalism replaced with free enterprise system. I have no problem with the term free enterprise system, but there's nothing wrong with capitalism. :-/

[MuscogeeButterfly]

Originally Posted by TeaAndOranges

Uh, I never said the bias makes it truth. I said that it exposes a lot of errors in history textbooks; however, there is a lot of left leaning bias, and thus it should not be used as a textbook itself. For example, I could say "The United States never found WMDs in Iraq (true), showing that George Bush is obviously an idiot with an agenda (opinion)." Now, if high school textbooks in the future were to teach that we did find WMDs, I would want this error fixed, but I don't want the bias that George Bush is an idiot to be taught (even if I agree with it). You seem to have a difficult time understanding that.



Yes, history is up for interpretation, which is exactly my point. Teach the truth of history from primary sources. Show the kids what Columbus was really like, and stop teaching them that he discovered America, and start teaching the kids what he really did. Teach the kids that he raped, murdered, and conquered an entire people to get what he wanted (money). Also teach that he was a great explorer as well. Then let them interpret it. Maybe they can think that is awesome, and they will look up to him. However, history textbooks need to stop interpreting history for the students, and that is EXACTLY what the Texas Board of Education is doing.





Alright, you completely took the quote out of context, which makes you look like you have absolutely no reading comprehension, or you're doing so on purpose to further your unsubstantiated argument. Here is the quote in full context:



I am saying, even if they are intelligent enough to see through the lies, I still do not want my tax money going to a school that teaches kids that America is a flawless country.

Well said. On all accounts!

[BUSY2009]

Well, it's official. The Texas State Board of Education approved the curriculum revisions and textbook publishers will begin the process of putting together a boat load of what is essential crap. Now, the seperation between Church and state I agree with simply because I believe in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Yes, I am a Christian; however, what I DO NOT agree with is minimalizing slavery and the Civil Rights Movement. I'm from Texas and it sickens me. History encompasses the good, the bad, and the ugly. I don't want my children being fed lies. Particularly lies that are steeped in omission. The state does not have the right to water down the truth for ANY reason. Do you know that nationally Texas sets the standard for textbook curriculum? This is so Pre-Civil Rights. Texas is indeed large and is steeped in diversity but I guess the school board sees things differently. Now my religious views may be conservative by some standards, but I don't care about that. What I care about is the fact that these textbooks will be in schools in a couple of years and my children will have to endure these erroroneous teachings. Yep, I'm sick about it. It's not right.

[catman]

I don't much care for rehabilitating Joe McCarthy, either. The man was a real threat to democracy and ruined countless careers before Ike and Congress finally brought him to heel.

[loves2read]

what is going in this new adoption of history texts is ATTITUDE--not history or factual assessment of history...
this board's ATTITUDES and personal agenda--and not even ALL the attitudes/pov of the board but a very select group of people with a political/religious agenda -

Joe McCarthy was a stain on American history and anathema to anything in the Constitution's Bill of Rights--to teach that his reptilian bully tactics was anything close to what good govt is just shows how deviant this niche thinking is--

the textbook publishers are going to react like people having to visit a primative Baptist church where the elders pray holding serpents and talking in tongues---this is NOT going to be greeted well within the publishing community because other states have started to take a stand against this dogma masquerading as "historical fact"...

the only good I can see coming out of this is that
1--other states (especially CA) are cognizant that Texas has gone off the deep end and politicized this edition beyond what most states will stomach...
2--people in Texas and other states have become aware of how significant THEIR own state board of education can be in formulating policies that will affect how students are taught in their states--many of them are pretty sick and aghast at how the "history" has been turned on its head and subverted to the whims of a small group of pretty ignorant people
3--hopefully at the next election there will other people running who have a more intelligent attitude and who will be elected...
4--hopefully the Legislature will decide that enough is enough and take a hand in overruling this terribly botched attempt to endroctrinate Texas students into a very skewed perception of "history"

and folks--lets not forget something--teachers who understand what this skewed version of history is attempting to do--basically brainwash a generation of students into this faction's narrow-minded perception of values--can certainly attempt to override it in the classroom with a more balanced presentation of Texas and US history...and hopefully they will...

as a teacher I was certainly not tied to the textbook but incorporated other pieces of literature into what I taught
it is just very difficult now that most ISDs are becoming so regimented/lock-step with teaching curriculum guidelines that are really strangleholds on teaching...