In Texas again decided to revise the curriculum of history, to remove all the «minor» and add what is missing.
Someone removed from bigwigs
A preliminary vote by the Texas Board on 14 September approved the deletion of the mandatory program:
- the phrase about «the optimism of the many immigrants who sought a better life in America»;
- former Secretary of state and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton;
- public figure of Helen Keller who lost sight and hearing in early childhood, but in spite of that, graduated from College and became famous as an author, lecturer and activist;
- English philosopher Thomas Hobbes;
- Republican Senator and presidential candidate Barry Goldwater.
The working group which made recommendations for changing the curriculum, also proposed to delete from the list of important historical persons, for example, Baptist pastor Billy Graham, but the state Council did not support this initiative.
What definitely will need to know the students and that will leave the program
- The influence of Moses on the writing of the main founding documents of the USA
- References to Judeo-Christian values and heritage
- Explain how the refusal of the Arabs to recognize the state of Israel has led to ongoing conflict
- The section on the civil war will change given the «Central role of the spread of slavery in the civil war»
- The defenders at the battle of the Alamo will be called «heroes» (previously proposed to remove this word), and the letter of William B. Travis leave in the school curriculum
What’s wrong with heroes?
Earlier, the word «heroic» in relation to the participants of the battle of the Alamo was proposed to remove from its description.
As explained by the Washington Post Walter L. Buenger, Professor of history at the University of Texas, abandoning such language, teachers would be able to better demonstrate how complex and confusing were the events not only the battle, but Texas history as a whole. Traditionally, textbooks are created in the images of participants of the battle, he, in turn, was called «too simplistic».
«For some, stressed Buenger — actions [of the defenders] were not heroic, but vain, stupid and counterproductive,» Recalling that last battle was a direct violation of the orders of the commander Sam Houston who wanted to consolidate the remaining forces.
- Add eugenics to the sections on causes and consequences of various social phenomena such as immigration, social Darwinism, etc.
- Return reference to the attack of the German invaders on Poland and the Soviet Union, the Holocaust, pearl Harbor, the landing in Normandy and dropped atomic bombs into the category of «Causes and main events of the Second world» in high school.
Why to change something?
The academic Council believes that information overload negates the learning process, which becomes a rote memorization of dates and names. Therefore, each person is worthy of the school curriculum was assessed by a 20-point scale (Keller scored 7 points, Clinton — 5). The working group, according to them, was guided solely by a desire to simplify the training, without any political context.
This is not the first time the Board of education Texas curriculum changes. The last time a major stumbling block and the subject of discussion was the evolution (the Board decided that students must know alternative theory of evolution). Now doubt has caused the course of history of the Mexican American war: it was proposed to remove from the curriculum, but in the end decided to leave.
Besides, insists the Council, these changes will not affect state educational materials. Neither the teachers nor the students are not forbidden to discuss «the excluded» of historical details and personalities. However, they are not part of the compulsory programme.
Who is for and against?
Traditionally, the Republicans and the state Governor Greg Abbott endorsed a new version of the school curriculum with an emphasis on Judeo-Christian values.
Eliminating Moses as one of our law-givers is contrary to factual history and to #SCOTUS precedent. I successfully defended the Ten Commandments on the Capitol Grounds, arguing that they were formative to our laws. Moses & the Commandments are in SCOTUS Building. #txlege #tcot https://t.co/ABFo81d5pa
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) November 13, 2018
The Democrats, quite naturally, opposed to the first woman presidential candidate and civil activist with special needs left on the sidelines of history.
SBOE needs to reject these changes. If Helen Keller was an important historical figure when I was in school (and she was), then she still is today. @HillaryClinton is the 1st and only woman to be the presidential nominee of a major party in U.S. history. Enough said. #txlege https://t.co/0aKIHV1Iq8
— Chris Turner (@ChrisGTurner) September 14, 2018
