SBOE Conservatives Rewrite American History Books
In three grueling sessions last year, a nine-member curriculum committee appointed by members of the State Board of Education met to hammer out which version of American history that Texas high schoolers, and maybe high schoolers everywhere, will learn for the next decade.
On the committee were eight educators and one “citizen” (that’s how he was described on a published list of its members), and the latter could not have been more different from the others. Bill Ames had neither history or education credentials nor respect for fellow committee members who did. Indeed, the retired IBM executive and conservative ...
Comments (10)
DAnderson
Thank you Bill Ames for injecting some common sense into the education debate. There is no doubt that our country was founded on Christian principles. As much as some groups would rather that not be the case, it is a very documented fact. As it relates to the other changes recommened by Mr. Ames i think the true measure of education is to study both positive and negative effects of all aspects of the american culture.
jrj
Excellent work!
Scott Kilpatrick
Thank you Tribune for reporting on this issue. It's a shame that people like Ames, McLeroy, and countless other SBOE and committee members have such a blatant contempt for the fields of academia and education. Like McLeroy said himself, he's "just a dentist from Bryan" -- let the educators handle the matter of education.
DAnderson, would you care to explain why the Constitution makes no mention of God or Jesus Christ? In the 85 essays that comprise "The Federalist" and in the Declaration, God is mentioned only twice each and in a completely secular sense. By your logic, the Declaration's use of "the Laws of Nature and Nature's God" could just as easily befit an argument that our nation was founded on pagan principles. "In God We Trust" came during the Civil War and the Pledge of Allegiance from your beloved McCarthy era. Let's also not forget the unanimously approved 1797 Treaty of Tripoli, which states:
"As the Government of the United States...is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion--as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity of Musselmen--and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."
You might be interested in "Our Godless Constitution" from The Nation in 2005 (http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050221/allen), the source for these undisputed tidbits.
RebeccaBellMetereau
Whatever happened to the separation of church and state? Or a nation founded on religious freedom? We need to keep personal beliefs and personal politics out of education and bring the focus of the board back to the educating the children of Texas in a fair and balanced way. This is why I am running for State Board of Education, District 5.
-Rebecca Bell-Metereau
statesmart
This was a very informative article. Thanks for the good job you did reporting.
twduke
What a scary article..let's see...I've been to the dentist multiple times in my life...so i guess that qualifies me to work on your mouth...makes as much sense as a dentist & former IBM exec (of which there are tens of thousands) having so much influence over a states education system
Go ahead & form your own country & Chuck Norris can lead you to your promised land
MarkSteger
I had almost forgotten about Bill Ames. He used to write outrageous letters to the editor and bloviate at public forums in Richardson. Calling him a "conservative gadfly" is kind. Learning that he is now setting history standards for Texas schoolchildren is scary. This SBOE is out of control.
WUSRPH
Wonder if the Evangelicals who write their own histories know that President Andrew Jackson stopped the U.S. Congress from passing a resolution calling for a day of thanksgiving to God for all the good stuff he had done for us. Jackson said that passing such a resolution would violate the Separation of Church and State provisions of the First Amendment. He said he would have to veto it if it were passed in order to live up to his oath to defend the Constitution. Guess Jackson had not read any of Bill Ames' "proofs"....
WUSRPH
Oops!....The resolution that Jackson threatened to veto as a violation of separation of church and state called for a national day of prayer to seek divine relief from a cholera outbreak...not of thanksgiving....It was proposed by Henry Clay on June 23, 1832.
Jackson said that he would have to veto it because "I could not do otherwise without transcending those limits which are prescribed by our Constitution for the President, and without feeling that I might in some degree disturb the security which religion now enjoys in this country in the complete separation from the political concerns of the General Government."
madinvestor
Obviously, the author of this article does not care for so-called evangelicals setting any curriculum, and I agree, extreme views (left or right), if allowed by either side, should only be footnotes. The founding fathers were however, with the exception of Paine, all Christians and of course it influenced their vision for this country and it should be taught as such. Religion should not be pushed in curriculum nor left out. I only want facts and truth and no slants or spin from either side. Editorial matter or opinionated material in textbooks should be duly noted as such, and opposing arguments should be presented in all such cases. There should be no evangelical spin nor any progressive spin, just truth.