Posted on 03/12/2010 1:20:27 PM PST by La Lydia
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas State Board of Education agreed to new social studies standards on Friday after the far-right faction wielded its power to shape the lessons that will be taught to millions of students on American history, the U.S. free enterprise system, religion and other topics. In a vote of 11-4, the board preliminarily adopted the new curriculum after days of charged debate ...
Decisions by the board — long led by the social conservatives who have advocated ideas such as teaching more about the weaknesses of evolutionary theory — affects textbook content nationwide because Texas is one of publishers' biggest clients.
As part of the new curriculum, the elected board — made up of lawyers, a dentist and a weekly newspaper publisher among others — rejected an attempt to ensure that children learn why the U.S. was founded on the principle of religious freedom. But, it agreed to strengthen nods to Christianity by adding references to "laws of nature and nature's God" ...
They also agreed to strike the word "democratic" in references to the form of U.S. government, opting instead to call it a "constitutional republic."
In addition to learning the Bill of Rights, the board specified a reference to the Second Amendment right to bear arms...
Conservatives beat back multiple attempts to include hip-hop as an example of a significant cultural movement that already includes country music...
Over the past three days, the board also argued over how historic periods should be classified (still B.C. and A.D., rather than B.C.E. and C.E.); whether or not students should be required to explain the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its impact on global politics (they will); and whether former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir should be required learning (she will)....
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
I see them bring up EVOLUTION again and again in SOCIAL STUDIES discussion.
How many times has one of these articles bothered to mention efforts to teach man-made global warming as fact? A fetus isn’t life?
How can one explain the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict without being permitted to discuss religion?
Yes, that "far-right faction" in the first sentence pretty much sets the tone, doesn't it?
Looks like enough people are starting to get sick and tired of the Democrats' diversity garbage.
I don’t know why anyone would have a problem with these standards. It’s not like they are requiring kids to learn creationism in science class. The only ones that might have a problem here are the atheists, race baiters and illegals.
thanks for the post...this is good news...good news indeed
YeeHaaaa!
It’s a start. Now, parents need to monitor whether a teacher trashes or upholds the standards.
No bias in the media. None at all.
another hearing in May.....but Main work is done
The decline of the USA is stil a choice....a step at a time
She is a race pimp, Tejana style. Texas kids — all kids — deserve to be taught about the Spanish-speaking people who actually played an important role in our country’s history, such as Bernardo de Gálvez’ services to the American Revolution, and Father Serra in settling California. And I think they SHOULD be taught that there were Tejanos fighting alongside the heroes of the Alamo. But this woman wants them to be taught to pick at the scabs of our racial history that are healing, and that is disgraceful.
This makes this mom of two school age boys in Texas public schools happy.
Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network, said the board's 10 Republicans had voted to "reject the most fundamental constitutional protection for religious freedom in America today: the principle that government may not disfavor or promote any religion over all others."
The Texas Freedom Network bills itself as a watchdog of the religious right.
Does that mean what I think it means? They "rejected" it as in fought against the pooh-bah crap?
According to judge Napalitano, this only applied to a national religion. Massachusetts, actually had a state religion at one time. So all this garbage about the USA being a “secular” country is just misinformation.
I do know the original "plan" was full of all kinds of messed up stuff.
The capitol building is full of Biblical references, founding father references, and Constitutional references---etched in stone. What are these people who are "really" trying to rewrite all this going to do about that??? Shiver. Scenes from Dr. Zhivago just flashed through my head.
The Democrats, all of whom were Hispanic or African American, felt that U.S. Army’s role in the attempted extermination of American Indians and the Chicano Mural Movement were priorities. It’s not hard to see why their communities are as backward as they are. Those that represent these communities have never figured out the key to success in America. The key to success for them is to bash what made America great. Within their communities those that figure out it is the greatness of the American system that will lift them up - they succeed and pull themselves up and out of poverty. The more that figure this out the less votes for these liberals. The key to success, therefore, for the lefties, is to keep their constituents in ignorance.
Small part or not. That’s the issue many people (liberals and non-liberals) worry about.
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