Good article- brought back memories of my AP history teacher.  He was a PhD candidate who genuinely enjoyed his studies.  Brought many of us to the annual convention where such luminaries as Arthur Schlesinger Jr and Daniel Boorstin presented their papers. Cool -yes?

 Well, silly me. Thought school was where one was introduced to ideas, people, concepts, etc. and where one learned how to think and reason.  As such, culling out certain historical figures for holding perhaps “unsavory” notions strikes me as most counterintuitive. 

But what do I know.  

Personally, I think it an utter waste if youngsters are not exposed to a myriad of ideas, thought processes.  Certainly when they are adults, not knowing how to reason or not understanding different schools of thought would handicap the ability to negotiate through the real world.  And who benefits from ill-equipped, badly educated adults?  No one.  Again, just my thoughts on this.  

I would think one would want to obtain understanding of thought processes, ideas, etc.  that run counter to their own beliefs.  Just to be well informed about folks out there. As such, I don’t understand why anyone should be afraid of ideas, or of independent thinking.

*shrug** Like I said, silly me.

I do recall my history book being much sanitized re: Vietnam War.  And teachers being somewhat guarded in their comments regarding this.  Not the way to instruct.

Irene.

Mar 24, 2010 -- 4:30PM, Agnosticspirit wrote:

Nice post, Irene... I'd love to hear from teachers on this subject... If Jefferson is stricken out, can teachers put him back in his rightful place or will they face disciplinary action for not sticking to the curriculum?

Oooo, good question!

Irene.

This thread has been moved from the Hot Topics Zone

--agnosticspirit - Bnet community cohost HTZ

Thanks for moving this thread to Church and State, Spirit. Any school board, be it state or local, who would name David Barton as an "expert" on their social studies curriculum panel is obviously not interested in objectivity. It's really sad when those responsible for the education of our young people place politics and religion ahead of a well-rounded education.

www.au.org/media/church-and-state/archiv...

Perhaps what the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is trying to do to the science curriculum, weakening the study of evolution, is more disgusting than what they are doing to the social studies curriculum.

www.tfn.org/site/PageServer?pagename=SBO...