Posted on 02/06/2002 5:50:14 PM PST by EternalVigilance
The Jan. 28th edition of the Washington Times reports that "George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin are not included in the revised version of the New Jersey Department of Education history standards. The Pilgrims and the Mayflower also are excluded, as well as the word 'war,' which has been replaced with 'conflict' in lessons about the early settlers, colonization and expansion."
The educrats and shallow politicians may not like to admit it, but there is a war going on in education, and New Jersey, the location of Washington's great revolutionary victories at Trenton and Princeton, is among the battlefronts. So too are Ohio, Florida, and Texas, where piety for the Founding is winning in new legislation, unlike in NJ.
There, mandates to teach the Founding and honor the Declaration of Independence are on their way to becoming law. In NJ, the tide may be running the other way.
Here is a bit more from the Times:
"'This is what you call a historical irresponsibility,' said David Saxe, a Penn State University education professor who reviews state history standards nationwide for the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation in Washington. The foundation gave the New Jersey history standards a failing grade the last time it reviewed them."
State school officials like Jay Doolan, the acting assistant commissioner of the state's Division of Academic and Career Standards, offer the usual bafflegab: "they do not need to list all the well-known historical figures — like other states' history or social studies standards do — because teachers will know they have to talk about the country's first president and the other Founding Fathers when the lesson on American history comes up," reports the Times.
Sure. "And the little streams of alcohol go trickling down the rocks, in the Big Rock Candy Mountain."
The Times reports, "'[The word] Pilgrim implies religion,' said Brian Jones, vice president for Communications and Policy at the Education Leaders Council in Washington. 'It's getting more difficult to talk about the Bible and the Puritans.'"
Oh, excuse me. It's getting hard to tell the truth? Well then, let us tell lies. They are, after all, ever so much more comfortable!
Let us lie, and say that the American Founding had no relation to Religion.
Let us ignore the references to God in the Declaration, and the constant prayers and days of fasting or thanksgiving proclaimed by our forefathers.
Let us lie, and say that the Puritans did not come here for religious liberty.
Let us ignore the fact that New Jersey's most prominent Signer of the Declaration, John Witherspoon, was a clergyman!
Let us lie, and not say that George Washington stands astride the currents of history like a Titan!
The Times goes on: "John Fonte, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute in Washington, charged that the state of New Jersey is not interested in getting to the core of American history. 'Obviously, there are anti-patriotic forces at work at the New Jersey legislature.'
Mr. Fonte is referring to the 13-year-long debate that has gone on in the state legislature on whether to allow public school students to recite a passage from the Declaration of Independence. Last summer, the New Jersey state legislature rejected the measure, which would have required students to recite a 56-word passage from the document every day.
Mr. Doolan said the new history standards are only in their first draft and will undergo 20 public hearings before approval. 'If people are that upset, then they should let us know at the public hearings,' he said. 'If we get feedback from people who think we should include the names of George Washington or Thomas Jefferson in the standards, then we'll do it.'"
One hardly knows what to say in the face of this folly. The American Founding, the glorious Novus Ordo Seclorum, praised by such diverse voices as Winston Churchill, Alexis DeTocqueville, Lech Walensa and John Paul II is "too religious," for the delicate sensibilities of the children of New Jersey in the 21st Century.
The Doctrine of Natural Rights as a gift of the Creator, and the tales of the men who held that Doctrine, cannot be mandated in the public schools of a state that shared in the Revolution carried out under the banner of the Declaration that proclaimed those Truths!
But there is hope. Mr. Doolan claims that he and his fellow educrats will respond to "feedback." In another age, that feedback might have taken the excessive form of tar and feathers. Now all it need be is reason and mocking laughter for the Politically Correct Pooh-Bahs of the New Jersey Department of Education.
It will be deeply interesting to see whether the citizens of New Jersey in this day will show the spirit and sense needed to correct these flaccid and servile standards. Their fellow citizens in Ohio and Texas and Florida and elsewhere are at work making standards and laws that will teach the Declaration and its story. All Americans should watch the outcome of these struggles with attention and interest. The liberty of our posterity may be at stake.
Copyright 2002 Catholic Exchange
Dr. Ferrier is president of the Declaration Foundation, a communications center for founding principles.
Thanks...this is one of those times for the people of New Jersey to stand up and be counted.
"So many enemy oil tankers, so few torpedoes!"
Cheers,
Richard F.
Well, let's out em!!
;-)
Then we'll use Molotov Cocktails!
;-)
I had a wonderful, if brief, conversation with Bret Schundler at CPAC. With future leaders like him in your state, there is always hope to turn it around, I believe.
But it is going to take firm commitment over the long haul from many conservatives who are willing to pay the price to make it so. You know...eternal vigilance...;-)
Regards...EV
We threw them out in 93. we kept them out for 9 years. This year, in our collective wisdom, we let them back in.
Already there is a budget crisis, and already we have lost our tax rebates. But Governor (Jimmy)James E. McGreevy is still pledging not to raise taxes.
we are sure to get Flim flam Florio's tax plan back again. You all know how that works- identify a "budget problem" of a few hundred million dollars, Raise taxes on everything, including toilet paper, to the tune of 2.8 Billion dollars.
Only use the tax policy to punish your enemies, ignore your friends, and praise those who are on the edge.
Only raise taxes in the solidly Republican areas. Why, they are not voting for you anyway! Who cares if their taxes go up? Make the solidly Democratic areas taxes the same. Why, they will vote for you anyway. Who cares if they get no benefit? Make the taxes in the swing area lower, Because they will go your way because their taxes are lower.
That was the Florio plan, and watch for it in Trenton soon. Remember, the senate is split 50/50, and the assembly is Democrat controlled.
Bill
But my view is that the vast majority of the electorate just don't realize what is happening to their country, and when they are exposed to those who are willing to unashamedly and courageously advocate for the principles that undergird our free republic, many can and will change.
Our ranks in the conservative movement are full of former Democrats/liberals.
The full Core Curriculum standards document is available on the Internet at website:
http://www.state.nj.us/njded/news/standards
which takes you to NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards Draft Revisions for Public Review and Content, January 2, 2002". You can click on "Language Arts" or "Social Studies" to review the English and History standards.
The purpose of the hearings is to discuss the pros and cons of the proposed changes and the importance of the Standards. If you are not able to attend, the Department has feedback forms for you to complete and encourages you to attend a hearing or fill out the feedback form. The Standards and the Feedback forms are NOT on the website.
Here are the dates for public feedback sessions on ALL of the Standards. RSVP to Stacy Tooker at 888-694-9900 for the hearings listed below, to confirm the place and time if you can attend, or, if you cannot attend any of these feedback sessions, to inquire regarding obtaining the Feedback Forms:
February 27, 2002 - Liberty Science Center 6 p.m. registration* 6:30-8:30 session
March 13, 2002 - Stockton State College 3 p.m. registration* 3:30-5:30 session 6:30 p.m. registration* 7:00 to 9:00 session
March 19, 2002 - Rutgers, College Ave. Campus 3:30 p.m. registration* 4:00 to 6:00 session
March 21, 2002 - Morris County Community College 3 p.m. registration* 3:30 to 5:30 session 6 p.m. registration* 6:30 to 8:30 session
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The History Standards have been revised to include Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin (due to the Washington Times article), but they now also include three Democratic 20th Century presidents (FDR, JFK, LBJ) and no Republican presidents. They still refer to World Wars as "conflicts" and do not mention any inhumane treatment of American soldiers. They still do not include any information regarding "religious freedom", Mayflower, Puritans, or Pilgrims. They do not link the prevention of genocide to the Bill of Rights.
For more information, refer to http://www.EducateNJ.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * please arrive early to place your name on the list. People will be called in the order on the list to testify. If there is a large crowd you may not be able to testify if you are late.
The full Core Curriculum standards document is available on the Internet at website:
http://www.state.nj.us/njded/news/standards
which takes you to NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards Draft Revisions for Public Review and Content, January 2, 2002". You can click on "Language Arts" or "Social Studies" to review the English and History standards.
The purpose of the hearings is to discuss the pros and cons of the proposed changes and the importance of the Standards. If you are not able to attend, the Department has feedback forms for you to complete and encourages you to attend a hearing or fill out the feedback form. The Standards and the Feedback forms are NOT on the website.
Here are the dates for public feedback sessions on ALL of the Standards. RSVP to Stacy Tooker at 888-694-9900 for the hearings listed below, to confirm the place and time if you can attend, or, if you cannot attend any of these feedback sessions, to inquire regarding obtaining the Feedback Forms:
February 27, 2002 - Liberty Science Center 6 p.m. registration* 6:30-8:30 session
March 13, 2002 - Stockton State College 3 p.m. registration* 3:30-5:30 session 6:30 p.m. registration* 7:00 to 9:00 session
March 19, 2002 - Rutgers, College Ave. Campus 3:30 p.m. registration* 4:00 to 6:00 session
March 21, 2002 - Morris County Community College 3 p.m. registration* 3:30 to 5:30 session 6 p.m. registration* 6:30 to 8:30 session
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The History Standards have been revised to include Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin (due to the Washington Times article), but they now also include three Democratic 20th Century presidents (FDR, JFK, LBJ) and no Republican presidents. They still refer to World Wars as "conflicts" and do not mention any inhumane treatment of American soldiers. They still do not include any information regarding "religious freedom", Mayflower, Puritans, or Pilgrims. They do not link the prevention of genocide to the Bill of Rights.
For more information, refer to http://www.EducateNJ.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * please arrive early to place your name on the list. People will be called in the order on the list to testify. If there is a large crowd you may not be able to testify if you are late.
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