Go to a used book store and check out some old civics books. Book stores often carry old text books for homeschoolers and collectors. Also, it is interesting to look at the older books written by men for boys.
The way I explained the evolution of freedom in America to my children: We started out with white men from Europe who basically hated each other overcoming their bias towards one another from different European Nations to become Amercians. Then we moved to overcome beliefs of sexual inequality. Then we moved to overcome racial inequality or the inequality of ethnic groups beyound Europe. European Nations have followed our lead. African, South American, Arab and Asian countries - not so much. (In Africa, they are murdering whites and albinos, for example.)
As they got older, I explained to them how the elite use race hate and unconstitutional preferences to divide people so they can get power. How they did it with the White majority in history and how they do it with the “diversity” majority (white women and minorities against white males) today. Actually, my oldest son saw this liberal craziness for himself and asked me if his observations were correct. I just made it clear that we don’t believe in race doctrines about any group even when a racist teacher still does.
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Someone is looking for history curriculum that gives an accurate treatment of history, not a PC one.
Check into classical education curriculum or http://www.welltrainedmind.com/
We used ABecka books for our homeschool history classes.
This whole concept of applying today’s standards of thought to yesterday’s actions and posthumously judging them on it is ridiculous. Writing up a legal document and establishing a new government is not easy stuff. It does take people with minds to think, lawyers for one thing to cover the legal bases.
I wonder exactly what input it is that she thinks they should have had or would have had? Some of today’s touchy-feeling special rights nonsense?
Even though the Constitutional Convention was composed of men only, yes, educated, white men, you are right, it reflected the standards of the day, which did not include worrying about *being faaiiirrr*. They had more important work to do setting up the government than worrying about people’s feelings.
If you read the Constitution and Declaration of Independence carefully, you will not find anywhere where women, blacks, Indians, *poor people* (whatever that means) etc, are specifically excluded from the *all men are created equal* clause. So, just because it was white men who wrote up and signed the documents, doesn’t mean that they didn’t take others into account. They did the best they could at the time.
Thomas Jefferson moved to outlaw slave trade as soon as he could and signed a law making it illegal in 1807.
Now, these documents established our current government and the laws and protections included were for citizens. BUT, the laws of each individual state regarding citizenship are a different issue.
Also, it was not only *rich, white* people who received an education.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2005/is_n4_v29/ai_18600988/
Literacy was considered important in those days, because of the importance of being able to read the Bible. Children went to school when and where they could, and often, if they didn’t have access to public education, they were instructed at home.
So, while there is a disparity in literacy, not just wealthy, white, landowners who were the only ones to receive an education.
Honestly, teachers like your son’s are just one of the myriads of reasons so many of us homeschool.
We homeschool parents here on FR put together a list of educational resources, including books and resources for history. Click here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2346553/posts?page=5#5
For the record: I have a 12yo son, too, and another son who was the same age not too long ago. I would’ve handled the issue the same way by simply pointing out to my son that most people weren’t invited to the Constitutional Convention. Only delegates were invited to represent their states, and back then the delegates were men whose ancestry traced to a certain part of Europe, specifically England, Wales, etc. (Someone here with a better grasp of historical facts can provide more information, I’m sure.)
IMHO, it’s appropriate to talk about the ancestry of the men who molded and shaped this nation at the beginning. But, rather than just calling them “white men”, why not be more specific? Why doesn’t the teacher talk about their specific heritage and how it influenced them? Honestly, I would tell my 12 year-old son that his teacher gave him a dumbed-down lesson to bring home.
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“Do you know of any history books written for middle school aged children that are written without a socialist agenda?”
Yes. Most of the ones written before political correctness corrupted thinking.
This guy is an historical ignoramus. Our current form of government evolved over time, very painfully, by steps. At the time the Constitution was written, aside from Switzerland, Iceland, San Marino and a handfull of other quaint places, 99% of humanity was composed of “subjects” not “citizens” and most governments were monarchies based on the support of a small class of wealthy plutcrats or aristocrats.
I wonder what school was invilved here? Since it is New Jersey, there is a HOST of suspects.
Get Sonlight curriculum or do The Well Trained Mind. Both involve reading books, real books and not textbooks.
Of course, this means you are pulling your child out of the social education system and doing REAL education instead.
Go here to learn how: www.hslda.org
I’ve posted these sentiments many times before, so forgive me for being curt.
Homeschool. It costs almost nothing and is worth more than a college education.
Public school is a form of welfare. Get off welfare.
If you’re a conservative, you shouldn’t be putting your kids in a leftist indoctrination camp.
Your school is no exception.
Please note: the Constitutional Convention was held in 1787, not 1791; Washington was inaugurated on April 30, 1789 as the first POTUS.
There were 55 signers, 53 Protestants and 2 Catholics (Carroll from MD and Fitzsimons from PA). More than half were Episcopalians (the old COE) with the next highest Presbyterians (there were no Jews, Muslims, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Buddhists, Shinto, Hindu, Sikhs, Jains, etc.) As an example, at the time of the Revolution, there were approximately 3,300 Jews in the colonies out of a total of about 3.2 million free persons (about 500,000 African American slaves at the time). So, this was an overwhelmingly Christian country that these individuals--remarkably enough--did not set this country up as a Christian nation (and please note--I am not looking for a fight here...I am a Jew).
One point you might make to this guy is that--at this time--there was no equality anywhere in the world, and it was this group of white Protestants who set this country up (as had NEVER been done before) so that we would be in a position to lead the world in Freedom and Liberty and evolve as an equal opportunity Republic. And, about 70 years post-Convention, over 600,000 American would die in order to free Africans from slavery.
Remind the teacher that the Russian Revolution was accomplished by over-educated white, male, elitists with little or no actual work experience. Look how well that turned-out.
For United States History, I recommend United States History by Bob Jones University Press. Patriotic, very well written, very interesting.
Available at christianbook.com, or try Ebay, or bjup.com.
Even if you don’t homeschool, you can read a certain amount a day together and have your student do the quizzes here and there. You don’t need a postdoctorate degree to explore history, and the perspectives of Bob Jones curricula are very good.
For the record, they are not pollyanna, and do mention controversies and more negative parts of our history without sugarcoating. However, they are pro-America and emphasize our many positive attributes. American heroes and innovations are given good coverage.
I recommend World History for Christian Schools by Bob Jones University Press for world history. I home school, and that’s what I use, interspersed with historical fiction.
With this guys understanding young children should be educating the adults!!
An old series of “A History for Peter”
On ebay you can find the series, book-by-book.
Well then ask him since he thinks it’s so unfair would he like to trash the Bill of Rights?
Something so remarkably unfair sure produced a great outcome, an outcome that allowed many of these mentioned groups to reach equality.
Give it up. If the "teacher" is advancing such idiotic, intellectually barren opinions, he/she is obviously lost to the effects of a leftist lobotomy. You won't scratch the surface. I'd recommend removing your child to a real educational environment.