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There's no real problem here. Yes the US is a special country that has had a great and positive impact on the world. Likewise however, american capitalism has caused problems in the world and continues to cause problems just as socialism and communism cause their own brand of problems. Students should be aware that capitalism isn't perfect and has problems that will beed to be addressed by their generation just as it has been addressed by all the genertions before them. America doesn't have a pure brand of captialism, we have regulated capitalism to prevent monopoly abuses with some socalist safety nets.

To send our children out in the world with only the "america is special" education is as much a disservice to them as sending them out into the world with only the "american capitalism is evil" message.

If you have kids grab a history (oops excuse me that should be social studies) text book and see if you can find any mention of that "America is special" stuff.

My experience in public school history classes (not THAT long ago) was that America was a place that Native Americans got slaughtered, blacks were enslaved, women and immigrants were subjugated and poverty was systematically perpetuated.

It always struck we as odd that so many people wanted to come to such a horrible place.

To send our children out in the world with only the "america is special" education is as much a disservice to them as sending them out into the world with only the "american capitalism is evil" message.

ABSOLUTE RUBBISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Students should be aware that capitalism isn't perfect and has problems that will need to be addressed by their generation just as it has been addressed by all the genertions before them. America doesn't have a pure brand of captialism, we have regulated capitalism to prevent monopoly abuses with some socalist safety nets.

Yes I see, my son came home with the same cr*p in his social studies course. "Communism does not work, capitalism does not work, what works is the Third way--tax the capitalists to pay for the programs that the communists want". I was floored but I quickly reminded my son that if he liked that, he should remember that he will be one of those who are taxed to pay for other's wellfare.

You realize that monopoly's have been beaten about the head with the Sherman Anti Trust Act, an act that Ayn Rand (Never mentioned in High School) says is the worst act ever passed in America. We got to see it being used by Microsoft's competitors to get them more market share, but do we need government to split up a company that has led the world in new technology?

What the kids should have, is a fair and balanced presentation of these issues, and if that happens, they will learn that whatever its shortcomings, America is the place where everyone else wishes they were born. (OK not everyone, but you get the point.)

Capitalism is not the problem in itself, it is in the way that it is applied or misapplied. When all men and women are considered equal and treated equally then the system works. When one group is favored or handicapped in favor of another it doesn't. When ethics and values are applied, ie, thou shall not steal, thou shall not force undue burdens on others because of your dishonesty and thou are entitled to nothing special because of your skin, sex, religious or other beliefs, then it works. When one person or group is forced to carry the ball for another it doesn't.

It's American Socialism, not capitalism, that causes the problems associated with the U.S. Government both at home and abroad.

That's not so 'special', after all - this brand of American exceptionalism is just another pack of self-serving lies by the profiteers of human misery who man the 'social safety-nets' and other fine socialist programs.

Capitalism has nothing to do with it.