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" the Texas Board of Education on Friday approved a social studies curriculum that will put a conservative stamp on history and economics textbooks, stressing the superiority of American capitalism, questioning the Founding Fathers’ commitment to a purely secular government and presenting Republican political philosophies in a more positive light. "

"Efforts by Hispanic board members to include more Latino figures as role models for the state’s large Hispanic population were consistently defeated..."

"There were no historians, sociologists or economists consulted at the meetings..."

"They also included a plank to ensure that students learn about “the conservative resurgence of the 1980s and 1990s, including Phyllis Schlafly, the Contract With America, the Heritage Foundation, the Moral Majority and the National Rifle Association."

"Even the course on world history did not escape the board’s scalpel.

Cynthia Dunbar, a lawyer from Richmond who is a strict constitutionalist and thinks the nation was founded on Christian beliefs, managed to cut Thomas Jefferson from a list of figures whose writings inspired revolutions in the late 18th century and 19th century, replacing him with St. Thomas Aquinas, John Calvin and William Blackstone. (Jefferson is not well liked among conservatives on the board because he coined the term “separation between church and state.”)"

Not mentioned, but along these lines, the Civil War will be interpreted TX friendly, different books for different states.  There's a larger world out there.   

All the more reason to educate your children yourself.

Public schools have become the torchbearer for misinformation.

I read about this often in the Times.

These clowns were trying to put Jefferson Davis'
innaugural address and others on a par with Lincoln's speeches.

Frankly, the idea of secession doesn't sound all that bad. It'd do a lot for the House and Senate.  ::)

Charlie

After hearing this on the news and then reading this an hour ago I started to get angry and wanted to post something about "home schooling"

Since all my kids went to Catholic schools and I did not home school, I decided not  to say anything.  Brew said it for me though.  THANK YOU BILL!!

Him and Pat HAVE home schooled and his child thinks for himself, is smart, independant, has a real head on his shoulders and is a credit to his education.

I don't believe the same can, or will be said for THESE kids.  So sad really. :'(

One woman somewhere in the U.S. has bitched enough that Websters dictionary was removed from the school because she didn't like the definition of homosexuality and thinks it will promote more young people who might actually read the dictionary,  into being homosexual.    ::) ::)  Somewhere else a prom was almost cancelled because of a rule that only couples of the opposite sex could attend Prom night.

I cannot tell you how glad I am that my kids are grown.  I feel for all of you with little ones.

Brew wrote on Mar 13^th, 2010 at 7:21pm:

All the more reason to educate your children yourself. Public schools have become the torchbearer for misinformation.

That's fine if you can do that, but what about siituations where both parents have to work?  One thing to remember, even if your  kid is in public school, that isn't the be all and end all of their education.

I don't know. I only know what we considered to be a priority.

I have many friends who home school there kids.  One of my friends has 5 kids that she home schools.  I dont know how she does it.  Conviction I guess.  God Bless you and Pat, Brew, for choosing to home school your son.  I wish I would have had the strength to do that but unfortunatly my health affected that decision.  We choose to send our kids to the school at our church.  That way I knew that they would get more 1 on 1 instruction time and get the religious upbringing that we wanted them to have and not have certain agendas pushed at them.

From my indirect experience, Catholic schooling seems among the best in acacdemics anyway. From what I understand, they are not interested in turning the country back to 1850 either, as  so many social conservatives would like to do.

I think 90% of home schooling is dangerous. It's the other side of the coin of what is perceived as bad schooling. Bias is okay if it's the "right" kind, in otherwords.

Charlie

Virtual schools = the best of both worlds.

Things like this makes me ASHAMED of our education system and makes me wonder where our kids are heading.

I think back on MY education - we were given "dull" history books with "facts" and we were left to our "own" interputations.

I don't remember Darwin being a big deal... his theory was mentioned - we decided who in our class revolved from monkeys and that was about it. We didn't dwell on it. And most of us lived our lives without being traumatized by that theory. IT WAS JUST A THEORY!

When a political PARTY (either one) starts trying to instill its VALUES in our children, then its time PARENTS take up ARMS and YELL OUT LOUD!

Home schooling is a GOOD thing - it should be done NIGHTLY if the kids are in PUBLIC schools. Parents should be AWARE of what the kids are being TAUGHT in PUBLIC schools! And if they don't like it they should be at EVERY school board meeting PROTESTING to the top of their LUNGS!

Parents are the key to the kids education right now. If they don't wake up and take a little responsibility - then our kids are lost. Turn off the damn TV and LISTEN to your kids... see what they're doing and get involved.

My son went to both Public and Private schools, but you can bet your bippy I knew EVERY teacher and EVERYTHING that went on in BOTH. When he was in boarding school, my phone bill was ridiculous, but Mom could be at the school in three hours and the headmaster knew me well as did all his teachers. In Public schools, the school board knew me too well, but a "few" of us did get some changes made. But we were willing to stick our necks out for our kids. And yes, at times there was ridicule involved, but we just kept on a truckin' until we wore them down and got what we wanted done. Our kids came out ahead.

I'm a little angry at this news (you probably hadn't noticed  >:(). You can bet they'll get a "love" note from me about it tomorrow...

:-*

This is one helluva whine. You are warned.

I had a terrible time socializing in school. One reason being that I stuttered...badly...and that my mother was old school when it came to dealing with epilepsy. I had to stay home and avoid after school stuff and things like Little League. It was the fifties. I wasn't supposed to "embarrass"......whom, I wonder.....I also believe that's why I was allowed but not encouraged to attend Sunday school.

It took high school and my father (who had seizures too, much worse than mine) to get around this. I shudder to think what might have happened if I were home schooled.

Anyway, while I realize my experience is extreme, something like home schooling scares me.

Charlie

That's assuming, Charlie, that other kids had or are having the same experience as you. For some, it is a new lease on life - like it was for ours.

Virtual schooling - where the student has all of his lesson plans and materials delivered either over the internet or via home delivery, and testing done by proxy at the local library - is a wonderful alternative to traditional brick and mortar schools.

Traditional classroom settings can be nothing but an albatross for kids who have special talents. The most oft offered argument by people against virtual schooling is, "what about their socialization?" Believe me, socialization was the last thing our son needed, and hanging out with 20-30 of his age mates in traditional school was the roadblock to higher learning.

That and the fact that traditional schools have no choice but to teach to the center of the bell curve. Those on the lower end of the curve have all sorts of federal money and programs to aid them. Those on the high end of the curve are told to shut up and wait for the rest of the class. Or they're asked to tutor the others. Which isn't their job.

Brew wrote on Mar 13^th, 2010 at 8:42pm:

I don't know. I only know what we considered to be a priority.

Well damn Brew, shoot me for considering eating and paying all my bills a priority.

And on that note, Sarah spent her first 6 years in private Catholic school.  Best investment I could ever make.  Charlie, you are right about the Catholic schools (at least the ones in my area).  The academics were exceptional and yes, they stick to what's written, they don't try to rewrite it.  Unfortunately, we couldn't continue to pay the tuition (non Catholics pay right at double). 

The public school that she transferred to had an excellent academic program.  Unfortunately, it was ruled by the religious right and cliques.  If you didn't fit into their little mold, you were bullied and ostracized.   Sarah's always been taught to think with her own mind and not accept every thing that she saw or was told to her.  This caused problems because she could think *outside the box* and refused to fit into their little mold.

Quote:

That and the fact that traditional schools have no choice but to teach to the center of the bell curve. Those on the lower end of the curve have all sorts of federal money and programs to aid them. Those on the high end of the curve are told to shut up and wait for the rest of the class. Or they're asked to tutor the others. Which isn't their job.

When I entered Junior High, New York experimented doing something like this in public schools. There were three groups when I was there, one being for advanced students...largely based on Math and English abilities: standard, where most students were, and a third tier, what would probably be something like a catch up class.

The funny thing is that it created no trouble at all. The middle group was full of people that knew better and deserved to be in the advanced class of course but it not being a time of PC and the like, it stuck around for awhile.

New York still has Regents exams which tends to keep schools and students on their toes.

Charlie

deltadarlin wrote on Mar 14^th, 2010 at 10:44am:

Well damn Brew, shoot me for considering eating and paying all my bills a priority.

I merely stated my own priorities. If you feel "shot," it's of your own volition. Nobody else's priorities were called into question.

Charlie wrote on Mar 14^th, 2010 at 10:55am:

When I entered Junior High, New York experimented doing something like this in public schools. There were three groups when I was there, one being for advanced students...largely based on Math and English abilities: standard, where most students were, and a third tier, what would probably be something like a catch up class. The funny thing is that it created no trouble at all. The middle group was full of people that knew better and deserved to be in the advanced class of course but it not being a time of PC and the like, it stuck around for awhile. New York still has Regents exams which tends to keep schools and students on their toes. Charlie

No trouble for the teachers or administrators, perhaps. But what about those kids at the top end of the curve that didn't get appropriate education? What did they learn?

Quote:

No trouble for the teachers or administrators, perhaps. But what about those kids at the top end of the curve that didn't get appropriate education? What did they learn?

That's the funny thing. There was movement among the levels and ability and hard work was usually rewarded.

There are good public systems. We're in the middle of reactions, and not all bad, to charter schools as well.

Charlie

Well Brew, having met your son and spent some time with him, I want to throw some Kudo's in here.

He's a VERY well adjusted and well-rounded young man. His manners are above average (something you don't find often in kids these days). I think you did an excellent job with him.

Quote:

Cynthia Dunbar, a lawyer from Richmond who is a strict constitutionalist and thinks the nation was founded on Christian beliefs

  Close but no cigar.  Our founding documents refer to God but not to Christ.  Our nation was founded on religious beliefs but not necessarily Christian beliefs.

Bob P wrote on Mar 15^th, 2010 at 8:27am:

Quote: Cynthia Dunbar, a lawyer from Richmond who is a strict constitutionalist and thinks the nation was founded on Christian beliefs   Close but no cigar.  Our founding documents refer to God but not to Christ.  Our nation was founded on religious beliefs but not necessarily Christian beliefs.

Right on Bobby (I MUST be getting OLD - seem to be agreeing with Bob too much lately  :))

My mama had a saying, "You go to your church and I'll go to mine!"

I think these guys in Austin missed the point of "history" -- our country was founded on FREEDOMS (religion among them - the right to worship (or not) as WE see fit). But when they start "discounting" Thomas Jefferson - well that's taking it a bit too far. Wasn't he a little involved in writing the Declaration of Independence (or was I "misinformed" in My youth?).

As a Texan, I'm outraged at this turn of events in our education system.

Actually, I agree with you characters too.

The guys that scribbled away making sure this place would be fun to live in were products of the enlightenment. Jefferson certainly one of the brightest. Most of them sound like Libertarians rather than Baptists and would turn over in their graves if they learned what these puritans are up to.

There were several founders that were muich less concerned with God than TJ. Madison being the one that comes to mind.

As Barb said: Do your thing.

In short: Read the Bible, paint yourself blue, howl at the moon but don't wake me up or ransack my library.

Charlie

Not knowing the full extent of the argument in TX and gathering only from the obvious bias of the writer of the article it is hard to make an absolute judgement.  If all is as portrayed they went to far.  Probably it is a reaction to those who have changed the history books in IL to referring to George Washington only once, to Thomas Jefferson only three times, to Abe Lincoln only a couple of times, even omitting the Gettysburg Address, etc.  However, they referred to MLK over thirty times (no prob with him, just no balance).  There are other egregious ommissions of great men and women who built our country, but it is filled with negative attitudes toward the greatness of our country.  It is one reason we continued home schooling as long as we did, and put our youngest in private school last year when Linda's health precluded her continuing teaching. 

Jerry

Linda_Howell wrote on Mar 13^th, 2010 at 7:39pm:

One woman somewhere in the U.S. has bitched enough that Websters dictionary was removed from the school because she didn't like the definition of homosexuality and thinks it will promote more young people who might actually read the dictionary,  into being homosexual.

i  really dont think being gay is a choice. id say your born that way. if you keep these kids i a bubble what are they going to do when they get out in the world and happen to run into a gay guy or a mexican or a black dude. i dont see how shielding your kids from reality or not showing them any kind of diversity is a good thing. if any of those kids there ever make it out of that tiny fishbowl they live in down there they will be lost and bewildered.

-johnny- wrote on Mar 16^th, 2010 at 7:16pm:

i  really dont think being gay is a choice. id say your born that way. if you keep these kids i a bubble what are they going to do when they get out in the world and happen to run into a gay guy or a mexican or a black dude. i dont see how shielding your kids from reality or not showing them any kind of diversity is a good thing. if any of those kids there ever make it out of that tiny fishbowl they live in down there they will be lost and bewildered.

...and that's why most of them stay in their tiny fishbowl.

yeah and its sad man. i've had people ask me if i thought people from new jersey are rude and nasty. well theres a few i guess. but theres rude nasty people all over the country in all different colors and shapes and whatever. but on the same token i can say ive had guys help me out in the port of newark, up in gary, out in wyoming, LA, el paso boston, dallas, you name it. this is a great country we live in. people can open there minds to different kinds of people without comprising their religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or who you are inside.

deltadarlin wrote on Mar 13^th, 2010 at 7:39pm:

that isn't the be all and end all of their education.

What is presented when schooling isn't the be all end all agreeably, but can sometimes be impediments that take an outside source to open eyes while languishing in time being funneled in directions that if adhered to could need learning different again, and can say, done some learning over enough already. 

Still though, there are things that can be found worthwhile somewhere with careful stepping past the fuss, sometimes ubiquitous.  Seems I'm condemned to find it at work everyday.

God I miss the early sixties when everyone was going to become rocket scientists or electrical engineers. Ike and JFK ran the cold war and pretty much stayed out of our way on social issues.

Camelot was so damned much fun too.

Charlie

Yeah Charlie -- we had it all worked out... we were gonna change the world... do ya think we may have taken a wrong turn somewhere???? ;)

Or maybe we just took a nap cause things in Camelot were going so smoothly...  I miss those days too...

Sure do Barb.

Even junior high kids tuned in afternoon news conferences because seeing a President enjoying himself....never happen much today...was worth it.

Helen Thomas and JFK had more damned fun!

Charlie