February 18, 2010--"Guys, You're Rewriting History"
In fact, in Texas, in a number of ways they are rewriting history. Some in a widely reported way, others more under the radar.
Most prominently in the public eye, Governor Rick Perry who is engaged in a tough primary race, last August, in order to shore up his ultra-conservative credentials, at a meeting with Tea Party folks expressed so much faux frustration with anything having to do with Washington that he even trotted out the S-word--secession. He said, "We've got a great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose [sic] at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that. But Texas is a very unique place, and we're a pretty independent lot to boot."
He also alluded to his version of the history of the deal that was struck when Texas applied for statehood, claiming that it included a promise that Texas had the right to withdraw from the United States. He said that this was part of the agreement in 1845 when Texas joined the union. However, according to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Texas negotiated with the federal government only the power to propose it be divided into four additional states if it desired, but not the right to secede.
This point was made apparent in 1861 when The Lone Star State did in fact withdraw from the union so it could join the Confederacy in the hope that this would enable them to preserve their "right" to own slaves. But the North's victory in the Civil War resolved that. Clearly, Rick needs to restudy his Texas history.
The good news--only one in three Texans believe they have the right to secede; and fewer than one in five would like to do so.
Less in the public eye, but much more significant, is another attempt to rewrite history. And this one is succeeding.
It is occurring under the direction of the majority of the members of the Texas State Board of Education. They are passionately engaged in redrawing the state's social studies guidelines; and what they decide to include will not only affect all Texas public school students but most others around the country since what Texas requires will find its way into other states' textbooks. This is because Texas purchases or distributes 48 million school books a year and no publisher will produce a version for Texas and then other variants for the rest of the states. Texas has such buying power that what it wants and gets will determine what everyone else gets even though they may not want it. It is simply a matter of money--textbook publishers' economy of scale is such that Texas' one-size will fit all.
What then is going on with the Board of Education in Austin? if you believe in a non-partisan approach to history or want public schools to stay out of the business of promoting one form of religious belief over another, nothing good.
According to an article in the Sunday New York Times (linked below), here's what's happening in regard to the new curricular guidelines and political correctness Texas style. One influential member moved that . . .
Nevertheless, these and most of the other similar motions were approved by a show of hands and will for the next ten years constitute a part of the new Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) social studies guidelines.
And then in regard to how to deal with religion in American history, things get even worse. As more Christian conservatives have gotten themselves elected to the Texas board, they have been pushing an agenda that will require all American history texts in Texas to show how our founders established the United States as a "Christian nation." Again from the Times:
So it comes as no surprise that Pat Robertson's protege Ralph Reed once famously said, "I would rather have a thousand school-board members than one president and no school-board members."
Who else was it back in the 1930s who said that those who control the minds of the young control the future?
Most prominently in the public eye, Governor Rick Perry who is engaged in a tough primary race, last August, in order to shore up his ultra-conservative credentials, at a meeting with Tea Party folks expressed so much faux frustration with anything having to do with Washington that he even trotted out the S-word--secession. He said, "We've got a great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose [sic] at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that. But Texas is a very unique place, and we're a pretty independent lot to boot."
He also alluded to his version of the history of the deal that was struck when Texas applied for statehood, claiming that it included a promise that Texas had the right to withdraw from the United States. He said that this was part of the agreement in 1845 when Texas joined the union. However, according to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Texas negotiated with the federal government only the power to propose it be divided into four additional states if it desired, but not the right to secede.
This point was made apparent in 1861 when The Lone Star State did in fact withdraw from the union so it could join the Confederacy in the hope that this would enable them to preserve their "right" to own slaves. But the North's victory in the Civil War resolved that. Clearly, Rick needs to restudy his Texas history.
The good news--only one in three Texans believe they have the right to secede; and fewer than one in five would like to do so.
Less in the public eye, but much more significant, is another attempt to rewrite history. And this one is succeeding.
It is occurring under the direction of the majority of the members of the Texas State Board of Education. They are passionately engaged in redrawing the state's social studies guidelines; and what they decide to include will not only affect all Texas public school students but most others around the country since what Texas requires will find its way into other states' textbooks. This is because Texas purchases or distributes 48 million school books a year and no publisher will produce a version for Texas and then other variants for the rest of the states. Texas has such buying power that what it wants and gets will determine what everyone else gets even though they may not want it. It is simply a matter of money--textbook publishers' economy of scale is such that Texas' one-size will fit all.
What then is going on with the Board of Education in Austin? if you believe in a non-partisan approach to history or want public schools to stay out of the business of promoting one form of religious belief over another, nothing good.
According to an article in the Sunday New York Times (linked below), here's what's happening in regard to the new curricular guidelines and political correctness Texas style. One influential member moved that . . .
Margaret Sanger, the birth-control pioneer, be included because she “and her followers promoted eugenics,” that language be inserted about Ronald Reagan’s “leadership in restoring national confidence” following Jimmy Carter’s presidency and that students be instructed to “describe the causes and key organizations and individuals of 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.”
The injection of partisan politics into education went so far that at one point another Republican board member burst out in seemingly embarrassed exasperation, “Guys, you’re rewriting history now!”
Nevertheless, these and most of the other similar motions were approved by a show of hands and will for the next ten years constitute a part of the new Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) social studies guidelines.
And then in regard to how to deal with religion in American history, things get even worse. As more Christian conservatives have gotten themselves elected to the Texas board, they have been pushing an agenda that will require all American history texts in Texas to show how our founders established the United States as a "Christian nation." Again from the Times:
It isn’t merely the case that their Christian orientation shapes their opinions on gay marriage, abortion and government spending. More elementally, they hold that the United States was founded by devout Christians and according to biblical precepts. This belief provides what they consider not only a theological but also, ultimately, a judicial grounding to their positions on social questions. When they proclaim that the United States is a “Christian nation,” they are not referring to the percentage of the population that ticks a certain box in a survey or census but to the country’s roots and the intent of the founders.
So it comes as no surprise that Pat Robertson's protege Ralph Reed once famously said, "I would rather have a thousand school-board members than one president and no school-board members."
Who else was it back in the 1930s who said that those who control the minds of the young control the future?
posted by Steven Zwerling at
5:35 AM
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