Texas Textbook Massacre

[Kei]

[color=darkblue][size=1][strike]Why, yes, I am proud of that thread title. =p[/strike] Well, I don't feel so special, since someone else apparently used it first. =/ But on to the issue at hand.

What's apparently got America in its latest tizzy are the new Texas social studies guidelines. According to sources, several people have criticized the new curriculum for "politicizing education".

[URL="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/21/texas-board-of-education_n_579126.html"]Article about the changes complete with some footage from the meetings.[/URL]

[URL="http://newsroom.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/21/textbook-fallout/"]CNN video.[/URL]

[URL="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gPQ3ktQNqImWyQ23yXKoCFXWrN1QD9FRGD600"]The AP covers some of the debate over changes to the curriculum.[/URL]

[URL="http://www.google.com/search?q=Texas+curriculum&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=D7G&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=nuv&source=univ&tbs=nws:1&tbo=u&ei=1A_3S6AQw_7wBsitnLQK&oi=news_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCgQsQQwAA#"]AP Video on the issue.[/URL]

From what I've read, civil rights leaders, teachers and other congressmen have started voicing concerns about the new set of teaching standards, largely because some text publishers change the content of their books based on what Texas' books say (since they have a very large student population) and this curriculum can spread to other states.

Personally, thinking about how some child in future will potentially call the slave trade the "Atlantic triangular trade" and mention how the Founding Fathers may not have wanted a separation of church and state is slightly unsettling. =/[/color][/size]

[Korey]

[FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"][COLOR="Navy"]After reading all the articles and watching the vids on the issue (thanks for providing so much, btw) I really wonder why Texans are trying to whitewash aspects of American history that are not as bright and colorful as other ones.

It's important for children to learn about their heritage in [I][U]all [/U][/I]of it's ugly beauty, because then they can form their own political/ moral views on issues that have shaped our country to what it is today. The student in the CNN video makes a good point in saying that such changes to the curriculum would "undermine mulit-cuturalism." The Civil War was over many issues. Not just slavery, and not just states' rights. However, all of those views need to be taught to children so they can understand the evolution of human rights in American history. You can't say that "States Rights" was the reason that the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments were ratifyed.

On the issue of separation of church and state, I feel that it's especially important to...uhm...I dunnooooo...follow the first frackin' amendment to your nation's constitution? While the initial colonists to our nation were in some parts religious refugees, the founding fathers realized the problems with the system in Europe that had caused many disputes and wars over differences in religious practice. So they agreed, even in the colonial stages, that the separation of state affairs from church matters would allow for more rational decisions to be made for the good of the people. I don't see why teaching this fundamental political issue would be harmful to students at all. It is the basis for religious tolerance and was the beginning of multi-culuturalism in the United States. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[DeathKnight]

[quote name='Korey'][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"][SIZE="1"][COLOR="Navy"] I really wonder why Texans are trying to whitewash aspects of American history that are not as bright and colorful as other ones. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE]

[color=crimson]Don't look at me, man. I didn't vote for the Republicans on the SBOE.

Plus, we're fightin' it.

[youtube]K16taQ_vv0s[/youtube]

Viva Tejas, baby.

I actually don't have anything more constructive to say other than that it pisses many of us off too. I've been talking with student organizations at my college to do a protest in Austin but, eh, summer hit at the wrong time.[/color]

[Korey]

[quote name='DeathKnight'][color=crimson]Don't look at me, man. I didn't vote for the Republicans on the SBOE.

Plus, we're fightin' it.

[youtube]K16taQ_vv0s[/youtube]

Viva Tejas, baby.

I actually don't have anything more constructive to say other than that it pisses many of us off too. I've been talking with student organizations at my college to do a protest in Austin but, eh, summer hit at the wrong time.[/color][/QUOTE]

I'm from Texas too, actually. El Paso is the only blue county I know.

[DeathKnight]

[quote name='Korey']I'm from Texas too, actually. El Paso is the only blue county I know.[/QUOTE]

[color=crimson][url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/tx.htm]Well[/url], if the results from 2008 mean anything to you, you aren't alone, man.

It irks me that Texas seems to get in the national news frequently for controversial things Perry says or does, or weird decisions an agency or government entity made.

Oh well. At least Arizona effed up now, too.[/color]

[Korey]

[quote name='DeathKnight' date='25 May 2010 - 12:28 PM' timestamp='1274783327' post='694022']
[color=crimson][url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/tx.htm]Well[/url], if the results from 2008 mean anything to you, you aren't alone, man.


It irks me that Texas seems to get in the national news frequently for controversial things Perry says or does, or weird decisions an agency or government entity made.


Oh well. At least Arizona effed up now, too.[/color]
[/quote]

[color="#000080"][size="2"][font="Garamond"][font="Franklin Gothic Medium"]Lol, maybe it's because of this gross misconception that people have of Texans and how we are so conservative in our views that we only believe in things that are directly from the Bible.

But that doesn't suprise me that the only blue counties are along the border region and the areas that have large metro areas (Dallas, Austin, Houston)[/font][/font][/size][/color]

[Boo]

Texas = Russia

[color="#ffffff"]Spawns dictators/mass-murderers and likes rewriting the past literally literally.[/color] Edited June 3, 2010 by Lady Shy

[Gavin]

[font="Tahoma"][size="2"]Wow. Some startling revisionism going on there, eugenics, McCartyism, international organisations attempts to undermine the U.S. [/size][/font]

[Boo]

[quote name='Gavin' date='03 June 2010 - 08:27 PM' timestamp='1275589626' post='694416']
[font="Tahoma"][size="2"]Wow. Some startling revisionism going on there, eugenics, McCartyism, international organisations attempts to undermine the U.S. [/size][/font]
[/quote]

I think it takes a European to see what's really going on there.

[DeathKnight]

[color=crimson]Well, I don't recall which blog I drew this potential misinformation from, but a blog that focuses on Texas politics pointed out a bigger problem that may have effected this turn of events.

Last election, many open positions on the State Board of Edumacations held candidates running unopposed (well, most of the ballot was like that if I remember the ballot when I voted). You combine that with a 29 percent or so turn out for the vote itself. Thus we get a few banjo playing (ala Deliverance) fools on the SBE who no one really cared to run against or vote for.

I hope next time maybe a few more people will realize that, you know, voting and running for office are things that matter a little bit in a representative republic.[/color]

[Kei]

[quote name='DeathKnight' date='03 June 2010 - 05:31 PM' timestamp='1275600670' post='694461'][color="crimson"]I hope next time maybe a few more people will realize that, you know, voting and running for office are things that matter a little bit in a representative republic.[/color]
[/quote]

[font="Tahoma"][color="#000080"]Haha. Ah, a society that learns from its mistakes. Wouldn't that be absolutely grand? My kingdom for common sense, amirite?[/color][/font]

[Korey]

[quote name='Kei' date='05 June 2010 - 04:46 AM' timestamp='1275706007' post='694626']
[font="Tahoma"][color="#000080"]Haha. Ah, a society that learns from its mistakes. Wouldn't that be absolutely grand? My kingdom for common sense, amirite?[/color][/font]
[/quote]

[color="#000080"][size="2"][font="Garamond"]If only there were such a magical land.

Interesting you bring that up though, Ken. As opposed as people are to changes in the educational system right now, they didn't have any problems letting people like this get voted on the Board of Education...

Which I see the irony in this situation. The BoE is voting on taking away education? [/font][/size][/color]