What do you all think of this history textbook controversy? (Orange: houses, private school)

[TeaAndOranges]

Just wondering how Texan's feel knowing that their state is trying to indoctrinate the future generation with a load of lies? Personally, I am absolutely disgusted at what the Texas Board of (mis)Education is trying to do, and I just hope that we here in Oregon do not use the books if Texas has their way.

Texas schools board rewrites US history with lessons promoting God and guns | World news | The Guardian

I'm reminded of the old 1984 quote: Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.

[Metro Matt]

Why is this such a bad thing?

This country was founded on Christianity.

I bet you're one of those left wing liberals that wants to have the bible display removed in front of federal court houses too. Lets just go ahead & remove the word GOD from everything, our money, our Pledge of Allegiance, etc.

It makes me sick at my stomach when I think about the direction this great country has taken. Makes me wonder if its some Muslim conspiracy by the current administration.

[TeaAndOranges]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Why is this such a bad thing?

This country was founded on Christianity.

I bet you're one of those left wing liberals that wants to have the bible display removed in front of federal court houses too. Lets just go ahead & remove the word GOD from everything, our money, our Pledge of Allegiance, etc.

It makes me sick at my stomach when I think about the direction this great country has taken. Makes me wonder if its some Muslim conspiracy by the current administration.

Wow, did you read the entire article? Are you really for the idea of downplaying slavery? The textbooks now already downplay the slaughter of Native Americans. I do not want a load of BS taught to my kids in place of real history, as it happened.

I'm sorry, but religious people have a place to go where they can worship and do everything they need to for their spiritual fulfillment. I am not forced to go to these places, and their existence is fine with me whether I agree with what is taught. However, being a father, if I do not have the money to put my child in private school I do not want religion being fed to him in public schools. You already have a place of worship; is that not enough? Are you not getting enough from 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!

[getmeoutofhere]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

This country was founded on Christianity.

Wrong. It was founded on the idea that people are free to practice whatever religion they wish without the interference of the government.

The government being religiously neutral.

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by TeaAndOranges

Just wondering how Texan's feel knowing that their state is trying to indoctrinate the future generation with a load of lies? Personally, I am absolutely disgusted at what the Texas Board of (mis)Education is trying to do, and I just hope that we here in Oregon do not use the books if Texas has their way.

Texas schools board rewrites US history with lessons promoting God and guns | World news | The Guardian

I'm reminded of the old 1984 quote: Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.

Not happy with it. This made news months ago and we debated it quite thoroughly. You can probably do a search to find it. Just so you know, the ringleader of all this was voted out in our primaries. Unfortunately he won't be out fast enough. Hopefully we can get Cynthia Dunbar out of there, as well. To my more conservative friends I apologize for being blunt, but she's a whack-job nitwit.

[Westerner92]

God I hate politics. Crazy conservatives try to rewrite history, and smug liberals criticize it even though they want to do the exact same thing. The truth is that the state curriculums in all states hardly affect what students learn. The ones who are actually intelligent enough to comprehend the material are on a plane so far above the standards set by education boards that they aren't affected by any changes, and the rest are so dumb that they don't learn the material regardless of its skew.

[TeaAndOranges]

Originally Posted by Westerner92

God I hate politics. Crazy conservatives try to rewrite history, and smug liberals criticize it even though they want to do the exact same thing. The truth is that the state curriculums in all states hardly affect what students learn. The ones who are actually intelligent enough to comprehend the material are on a plane so far above the standards set by education boards that they aren't affected by any changes, and the rest are so dumb that they don't learn the material regardless of its skew.

I am a far-left liberal (socialist); however, I do not want history being changed at all. I am a huge fan of Howard Zinn's book "A People's History of the United States." I believe that history textbooks should try to remain unbiased, and focus on teaching history from primary source documents.

Now, that said, I do not believe that Zinn's book should be used as a history textbook, even though I agree with most everything in it, simply because it has a politically left bias.

You think that most people are intelligent and will see through what is being taught in schools throughout the country? I disagree, completely. First off, I do not want to spend taxes for a place of indoctrination rather than education. Second, if we are teaching this to kids from an early age, a lot of them will believe it. You create arrogant citizens who think their country has done absolutely nothing wrong. You deprive children of a historical perspective on current events. There is no good reason to not teach the truth.

Finally, why not teach history the way it happened? What is the argument that we should be teaching lies?

[Lucidus]

I think there will always be bias in what kids are taught in school. This may be an over correction to the existing bias buts its really nothing new. Westerner92 explained it well, intelligent and motivated kids will decide for themselves what to believe regardless and the unmotivated or unintelligent won't learn the material anyway. I do like the new emphasis on the Second Amendment, that by itself could make the changes worth while.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by Metro Matt

Why is this such a bad thing?

This country was founded on Christianity.

I bet you're one of those left wing liberals that wants to have the bible display removed in front of federal court houses too. Lets just go ahead & remove the word GOD from everything, our money, our Pledge of Allegiance, etc.

It makes me sick at my stomach when I think about the direction this great country has taken. Makes me wonder if its some Muslim conspiracy by the current administration.

No, it was not founded on Christianity. Read, if you dare, the writings by the founding fathers and you'll learn otherwise.

I can see why some would want to keep our students from studying Thomas Jefferson, because he actually uses the words separation of church and state (in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association, 1-1-1802):

""Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their Legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church and State."

Then there's the Treaty of Tripoli, ratified unanimously by the entire Senate:

"As the Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Musselmen; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."

There's lots more, but those will suffice for the moment. I suggest that google is your friend if you wish to read more.

[TexasHorseLady]

Oh, and I think the School Board needs a complete cleaning.