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Excerpts:

" 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.”)"

All the more reason to educate your children yourself.

Public schools have become the torchbearer for misinformation.

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.

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

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

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...

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.

Quote:


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

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

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?

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.

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

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.

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

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

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