Do you think Thomas Jefferson wasn't a real influence on revolutionary movements? Do you consider Confederate president Jefferson Davis to be a hero of equal standing with Abraham Lincoln? Do you feel the outcome of the Civil War was that states have the right to secede if they want?
Well, good news! While in most states those notions would brand you an ignoramus, in Texas you qualify for valedictorian.
But I have a feeling the new Texas schoolbooks have at least a dozen more surprises in store for us.
How did things come to such a pretty pass?
In Afghanistan, a couple of decades ago, the Taliban decided children were getting too much humanism and secular values in the schools, and not enough religious indoctrination, so they ran well-financed campaigns to pack local school boards with semi-educated extremists, to ensure everyone's children only learned what the Taliban wanted them to believe, however fictional.
Oh, wait, that wasn't Afghanistan. That was America. Okay, easy fix. Wherever I have "Taliban," just insert "right-wing Christians."
And this week in Texas, the battle for the hearts and misinformed minds has finally borne its bruised, maggoty fruit. If all goes as scheduled, within a generation, dimbulb secessionists like Gov. Rick Perry will be seen by Texas high school grads (if any) as rational statesmen.
And here's the really good news -- because of the size of the Texas school system, when its Board of Education gets taken over by rabid right-wingers, it means every textbook company in America will compete to squeeze out propaganda as messed-up as the Texas Taliban demands. Because God forbid that any kids in America be educated differently than they are in that intellectual bastion on the Rio Grande.
Once again, the ol' Invisible Hand of the marketplace gives us the finger. Not that I would say anything against monopolistic corporate capitalism -- excuse me, I should translate for any Texan children reading this, "free enterprise."
I'm sure this will all turn out just fine.
As Shakespeare might have said, "All's Orwell that ends Orwell." And maybe he did say that.
I better check my Texas English text.
Thanks for all the thoughtful comments.
Now, if we can just stop Texas from melting down every nickel in the state...
- Doug
But. I do recall that President GW Bush had nothing but praise for his nominee, to be Secretary of Education (Page), because of the high rate of graduates in Texas. ----One small problem. The statistics were 'cooked'. The large number of students that dropped out of school, were forgotten. Only those that remained in school and graduated were in the statistic.
The actual fact was that many 18 year old Texans had no high school diploma.
There's lots of criticism here but no alternative solutions. Or in Texas english " a lot of hat but no cattle"
If you have school age children you should know about their classes and what's being taught. Be active with your school board. Volunteer at school or substitute teach. Help your kids with their homework. Know who their friends are. Children learn from their parents more than their history teachers. It's going to OK.
Remember the Alamo!
God Bless John Wayne
Amen
Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.
I taught a remedial English course at a college. When the students passed that, then they were able to move on to the regular college English courses. You can't let students move ahead in higher education if they don't know the basics.
Beware the Talibangelists.
How irresponsible of the parents to let this kind of lying propoganda to be fed to their children as "history"?
Typical of the religious right. Since they can choose to believe in God and Christ in any way they please - read how the "true" Christians in this country have no tolerance, do not believe in charity, and want the government to tell us how to live our lives.
Now they think they can choose what else to believe, such as documented history.
Now for a short list of countries where they CHOSE what historical facts to believe:
China, post 1947
USSR
Germany (1936 to 1945)
Japan (1936 to 1945)
Known by the company you keep.
http://uk.video.yahoo.com/watch/142989/1483171
It's only sort of inaccurate ;)
Austin used to be a fairly quiet city, but when W became governor in 96, it changed dramatically. The cops all of a sudden got real mean, bustin' people for anything and everything they possibly could.. A right wing fervor seemed to take hold that had many shaking their heads, wondering what's with all these Hummers all of a sudden, and why do they drive like they'd just as soon run ya down if ya don't git outta the way? With all this happening this way, it's little wonder that the elite would much prefer to keep 'em all stupid... Much easier to control that way, by god...
Texas citizens need to ask Rick Perry another famous question from Shakespeare:
"On what meat doth this our Caesar feed?"