What is your opinion on Texas trying to change history & education by textbook selection?

Question

What is your opinion on Texas trying to change history & education by textbook selection?

Answer 1

The U.S. already has a skewed view of our own history, for the most part. We don't need any more "help" from Texas to mis-educate our children.

Answer 2

China does that, too.

Texas just follows.

Answer 3

I think it sucks. I read the whole article and it really is a eye opener as to how screwed up these religious freaks are. It scares me to know that they have that much control. Somebody needs to get them out of office. Teachers should determine what is to be taught. Theology has no place in the educational system. I wonder just how much delusional thjinking goes on in all the political processes going on around the country. How long can a country prosper when it's decision processes are bASED IN DELUSIONISM INSTEAD OF RATIONALISM?

Answer 4

I think it's fascinating yet I am glad of the large ocean between us. To me it makes Texas appear like a middle eastern or undeveloped nation.



Of course, all education is biased to a certain degree. The political and religious motivation here is, somewhat worrying.

Answer 5

Texas is the largest purchaser of school textbooks and so what they want has national ramifications. This is dangerous.

What is going on in America when people want to back-slide into ignorance and superstition?

Answer 6

Not surprising, unfortunately

Answer 7

Utter disgust. Other states should look into the viability of purchasing math and science textbooks from Britain, Canada, and other English speaking nations in order to end the stranglehold fundies have over books published in the United States by hijacking the Texas book selection process.



n.b. Since Texas is one of the three most populous states and has a centralized textbook approval process (As does California, whose textbook selection is dominated by leftists and environmental extremists) it is unprofitable for any textbook publisher to be on the blacklist of either Texas or California (New York uses a de-centralized book selection process) with the result that at best schoolbooks are bland mush and at worst intentionally include erroneous information.

Answer 8

Jefferson's been cut from "a list of figures whose writings inspired revolutions in the late 18th century and 19th century", not from a list of presidents or founding fathers, so calm down.



I definitely agree that textbooks should "mention the votes in Congress on civil rights legislation, which Republicans supported." I've been alarmed at the number of people who don't know that.

Answer 9

Texas politics are extremely conservative and lean toward Republican, Southern Baptist ultra conservatism.



What they have done, regarding their choice in textbooks and curriculum, will have an effect on the rest of the nation as they are a major purchaser of school text which will influence the producers of the same in what they create and offer to the rest of the nation.



Although a good many Texans are educationally developmentally delayed ( the state recently ranked 43rd in the nation in academic achievement or the lack thereof), they are, individually rather nice persons who appear to wish to secede from the nation and hopefully they will be allowed to do so especially if they are to further retard their understanding of the founding of this nation as they seem intent to do the same in regards to the establishment of the state of Texas (dismissing the Tejanos and persons of Mexican descent who fought for the independence of the Republic of Tejas from Mexico along with Sam Houston, William Travis and James W. Fannin as well as mercenaries like Crockett and Bowie).



Texas state government is so poorly organized as to be very divisive and to limit the input of the citizens. Thankfully, most of the residents pay little or no attention to the government and simply do as they please.



namaste



ADD: I reside in New England at present.



Texas has balanced its budget by a long history of neglecting those of its citizens who are impoverished and in need, under funding it educational system, enslaving migrant workers, by inadequately funding the care of the disabled, etc., while subsidizing the oil industry, the cattle industry and making politicians rich and misleading the people into supporting legalized gambling that was supposed to even out funding for edication but has never given them a penny of the profit.



If Texas ever become an independent, sovereign state it will undoubtedly devolve into a Duval/Pharr county type of thing, where the dead vote repeatedly for the right candidates, and minorities can forget about even a pretense of justice, representation or respect.



It is ridiculous for any respondent to assume that is only the highway or his way.

Answer 10

It's a shame that ONE state has SO much influence upon the education of an entire nation. It makes it so much more easy for one particular minority viewpoint to insinuate itself into the nation and promulgate the impression that the entire nation shares that minority viewpoint. It waters down the process of learning for the entire nation and lowers the overall quality for all. This goes right along with the concept of No Child Left Behind, which essentially results in ALL children left behind the World as a whole. The solution that has been proposed, National standards for textbooks, will essentially have the same results, as education will become geared towards the lowest common denominator teaching for the least capable students rather than the typical student. I like Britain's form of education, where there are different levels of education, each of which is based upon ability of the student. It may have the impression of an elitist education system, however ANY student who can demonstrate the ability to succeed with more difficult material has the opportunity to study that material, and those who do not have such skills will have their education experience that will give them the skills that they will be able to succeed in, as well. But to have learning materials that are geared for the consumption of all, does a major disservice to all by watering down the education system to the point that the best and brightest of our students does NOT have the opportunity to advance and in fact end up being retarded in their educational development.



Brightest Blessings,

Raji the Green Witch

Answer 11

It's been happening in every state since the implementation of state-controlled public education, and before that it was implemented by school boards or individual teachers.



Naturally, someone has to choose the texts used. Naturally, someone is going to make a choice based on their personal preferences.



Education has *always* been influenced by the bias of educators.



Jim, http://www.bible-reviews.com

Answer 12

Ridiculous.

Answer 13

Source? I didn't read it was "ridding" Thomas Jefferson, just different text to be more accurate.



Love the ignorant thumbs down for asking a source and actually knowing something REAL about the subject. The person asking the question is trolling and inferring something that DID NOT happen nor was it proposed.



Wow the ignorance is mind blowing here.



Kind of hope that Texas forms it's own country. Most of you probably live in California and can't even balance your budget. Simple math and freeloaders don't mix.

Answer 14

Every state does exactly this.

They decide what goes in their social studies books.

Not all people, events, music styles, ethnicity's can go in.

You just don't like what they chose.

It is all historically accurate.

You just prefer they concentrate on other people, events, etc.

Answer 15

Yawn...



Diversity of thought is good.

We should not be in the business of limiting free speech.