U.S. kids don't know much about history

AZ Republic ^ | Ben Feller

[hsmomx3]

NEW ORLEANS - Apparently the truths in the Declaration of Independence aren't so self-evident.

When Rep. Roger Wicker asked high school seniors in his Mississippi district to name some unalienable rights, he got silence. So the Republican congressman gave the advanced-placement history students some help.

[hsmomx3]

"Horne said 12- and 13-year-olds are too young to fully grasp the gravity of the documents and their place in history."

What a buffoon! Mr. Horne (a RINO), I encourage you to ask any homeschooler younger than 12 history questions. You might be surprised at the answers you receive.

[laweeks]

I've asked many a class of adults when the Civil War was and no one ever gets within 10 years (and some think it was in the 1900s). About the only question they're able to handle is "When was the War of 1812?", and even then, they stumble.

This lack of knowledge of American history is EXACTLY what the NEA (No Educated Americans) wants. If we have no idea what we stand for, then how can we get exorcised about our daily losses of freedom? How awfully sad! We have nobody to blame but ourselves.

[ClearCase_guy]

"I always tell my students: If I see you in the grocery store five years from now, I will not measure my success on 'Can you tell me Hamilton's financial plan?' but 'Can you tell me if you voted?' " Meredith Elliott, an American studies teacher in Utah, said at the NEA convention. "If you answer yes, then I've succeeded as a teacher."

Wow! She really has low standards.

[LiteKeeper]

SITREP

[netmilsmom]

My five and three year olds are now watching America Rock. Both girls can sing the preamble to the constitution. We will talk about the meaning later.

[bagman]

The Civil War was fought, what, from 1640-something to 1650-something.

I just wouldn't lose my head over this matter, though.

[Snickersnee]

King Charles, I presume?

[Gunslingr3]

Why is more important than when, and most adults couldn't tell you the reasons for that either.
"Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day."
--Thomas Jefferson
Wonder what happens when your government school system does the opposite...

[upchuck]

I asked one of the neighborhood kids, "What did you learn in school today?"

She responded, "We learned about President Bush."

"What do you like most about President Bush?" I asked.

She said, "I don't know... But I sure wish he would stop killing people!"

I said, "What leads you to believe he's killing people?"

She responded, "That's what our teacher said. She said he's killed thousands of people in Iraq."

I stopped the conversation. I was truly flabergasted!!!

[js1138]

"I always tell my students: If I see you in the grocery store five years from now, I will not measure my success on 'Can you tell me Hamilton's financial plan?' but 'Can you tell me if you voted?' " Meredith Elliott, an American studies teacher in Utah, said at the NEA convention. "If you answer yes, then I've succeeded as a teacher."

I'd measure my success as a teacher on whether the former students five years out of high school are shopping at the grocery or clerking.

[hollywood]

"I always tell my students: If I see you in the grocery store five years from now, I will not measure my success on 'Can you tell me Hamilton's financial plan?' but 'Can you tell me if you voted democRAT?' " Meredith Elliott, an American studies teacher in Utah, said at the NEA convention. "If you answer yes, then I've succeeded as a teacher."

That's the original quote, I bet.

[hollywood]

"I always tell my students: If I see you in the grocery store five years from now, I will not measure my success on 'Can you tell me Hamilton's financial plan?' but 'Can you tell me if you voted democRAT?' " Meredith Elliott, an American studies teacher in Utah, said at the NEA convention. "If you answer yes, then I've succeeded as a teacher."

That's the original quote, I bet.

[Straight Vermonter]

I have restored the deleted phrase:

"I always tell my students: If I see you in the grocery store five years from now, I will not measure my success on 'Can you tell me Hamilton's financial plan?' but 'Can you tell me if you voted as instructed?' " Meredith Elliott, an American studies teacher in Utah, said at the NEA convention. "If you answer yes, then I've succeeded as a teacher."

[hollywood]

Like-minded ping.

[VeniVidiVici]

Beth Ludeman, a government and history teacher in Wisconsin, said, "I'm much less concerned about a test at any given point as I am making sure the kids I work with have the opportunity to extend those skills through their lifetime.

Which is exactly why parents in many states force the legislature to come-up with some type of exit test for high school. Some teachers are too caught-up in this " I want to make sure they have the opportunity..." instead of teaching them something.

[xm177e2]

"I always tell my students: If I see you in the grocery store five years from now, I will not measure my success on 'Can you tell me Hamilton's financial plan?' but 'Can you tell me if you voted?' " Meredith Elliott, an American studies teacher in Utah, said at the NEA convention. "If you answer yes, then I've succeeded as a teacher."

"I churn out uneducated kids who know to vote for Democrats, I will have succeeded!"

[mewzilla]

I'm just a bill,
Yes, I'm only a bill,
And I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill.
Well, it's a long, long journey
To the capital city,
It's a long, long wait
While I'm sitting in committee,
But I know I'll be a law someday...
At least I hope and pray that I will,
But today I'm still just a bill...

[ArGee]

Why is more important than when, and most adults couldn't tell you the reasons for that either.

When is an important element of why as historical context often impacts what humanity does.

Shalom.

[DeFault User]

You must be a roundhead, too:

[ArGee]

We pick on these people, but you don't understand what a difficult time a teacher has these days doing his/her job.

Every morning the teacher has to get in lessons on how to celebrate diversity (but not spell it), the moral equivalence of straights and gays, how men are ruining society, how you shouldn't try to do things yourself because that might make someone feel bad, why white European males are scum, and how if you don't worship Mother Earth she will make you sit in the corner when you are grown up.

By the time you get done with all of that, there just isn't time to teach the trivial stuff like Civics and History.

Shalom.