Conservative Education ‘Experts’ Want Less Lincoln And More Jesus In Texas Textbooks
Conservative Education ‘Experts’ Want Less Lincoln And More Jesus In Texas Textbooks
The Dallas Morning News reported last week that conservative “experts” advising the state of Texas on school curriculum are arguing that the state’s social studies and history textbooks are giving “too much attention” to some of U.S. history’s most prominent civil rights leaders. David Barton, one of the so-called “experts,” claimed Hispanic labor leader César Chávez “lacks the stature, impact and overall contributions of so many others.” A colleague on the panel agreed, also singling out Thurgood Marshall for exclusion:
“To have César Chávez listed next to Ben Franklin” – as in the current standards – “is ludicrous,” wrote evangelical minister Peter Marshall, one of six experts advising the state as it develops new curriculum standards for social studies classes and textbooks. [...]
Marshall also questioned whether Thurgood Marshall, who argued the landmark case that resulted in school desegregation and was the first black U.S. Supreme Court justice, should be presented to Texas students as an important historical figure. He wrote that the late justice is “not a strong enough example” of such a figure.
According to a draft of the proposed new textbook standards, “biographies of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Stephen F. Austin have been removed from the early grades.” At the same time, Peter Marshall wants more teaching of Christianity’s role “in America’s past“:
Marshall…also recommends that school children get a better understanding of the motivational role the Bible and the Christian faith played in the settling of the original colonies. [...]
“In light of the overwhelming historical evidence of the influence of the Christian faith in the founding of America, it is simply not up to acceptable academic standards that throughout the social studies (curriculum standards) I could only find one reference to the role of religion in America’s past,” Marshall said in his review.
Actual education professionals in Texas appeared dismayed at Marshall and Barton’s assessment. “It is what we expected from unqualified political activists put on this so-called panel of experts,” said Dan Quinn of the nonprofit Texas Freedom Network. “This is yet another step toward politicizing our children’s education.” Jesus Francisco de la Teja, chairman of the history department at Texas State University said, “Whether you approve or disapprove of what [Chavez] did, there is no doubt about his contribution to bettering the lives of an untold number of Americans of limited economic means and education.”
Barton, a former vice chairman of the Texas Republican Party also insisted on emphasizing “republican” values in Texas’ curriculum:
[Barton] said that because the U.S. is a republic rather than a democracy, the proper adjective for identifying U.S. values and processes should be “republican” rather than “democratic.” That means social studies books should discuss “republican” values in the U.S., his report said.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that the social studies review panels will meet later this month and post their “initial recommendations” online with “final adoption” set for next March. But “[t]he debate here has far-reaching consequences,” the New York Times noted last January when Texas debated how evolution should be taught in schools, because “Texas is one of the nation’s biggest buyers of textbooks, and publishers are reluctant to produce different versions of the same material.”
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Texas Nazi Youth? You betcha, don’t ya know.
Fcuk the Republic Fascist Party
July 16th, 2009 at 3:45 pmIndoctrination at it worst.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:46 pmYeah, because modern books are so full of facts. Let’s stick with ancient texts that instill fear and discourage thinking. We need to make sure that the next generation is dumber than the current one.
/snark off
July 16th, 2009 at 3:47 pmWonderful. So once they’ve finished invading science and history with Christian propaganda, what’s next? Math? Spelling? Drivers Ed?
How about Faith-Based Shop Class? That’ll be fun…
July 16th, 2009 at 3:48 pmI live in Texas…groan.
These people sound like a cult waiting to happen…Perry as the Grand Pooba
July 16th, 2009 at 3:49 pmTexas: proudly marching backwards to the knowledge level of the 8th century.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:49 pmAh man. Now I’m really scared. I just had a chance to catch Maddow’s piece on C Street and I have to tell you that these people are wackos.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:49 pm“This is yet another step toward politicizing our children’s education.” Jesus Francisco de la Teja
_____________
Exactly. Thank you for putting it so succinctly, Mr. guy named after a mullet…
July 16th, 2009 at 3:50 pmThe Texas board of education is a dangerous cult.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:50 pmI wish Texas would just secede already.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:51 pmThese Jesus freaks are trying to destroy our educational system so we won’t be able to compete with the rest of the world.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:52 pmtexasrick says:
These people sound like a cult waiting to happen…Perry as the Grand Pooba
July 16th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
_____________
Ooo, that might be good, actually. After all, we’re long overdue for a big cult mass-suicide.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:52 pmAnd, of course, it never dawns on the fundies that our kids are falling behind other nations because we destroy their minds teaching them stuff that’s not true.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:52 pmAnd to think, Batshit Bachmann was worried about liberal re-education camps.
PEACE
July 16th, 2009 at 3:52 pmpete says:
And, of course, it never dawns on the fundies that our kids are falling behind other nations because we destroy their minds teaching them stuff that’s not true.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
______________
More importantly, we’re failing to teach them the basic critical thinking skills that would help them determine for themselves the stuff that’s not true. That’s the bit that frightens me.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:54 pmWhy is an evangelical minister from Massachusetts advising anyone on anything educational anywhere, let alone TX? Other than the obvious, that he’s a man of god™…
July 16th, 2009 at 3:58 pmNow we have the educators in Jesusland politicizing education with religious language. They have a clear and unmistakable agenda. Perry’s former nominee even is in favor of establishing Biblical litmus tests in schools. That speaks volumes about the horrid judgment of Rick Perry and his enthusiasm over religious indoctrination. No wonder some states are dramatically falling behind in math/science performance…
They want to indoctrinate our children and completely and utterly destroy their critical thinking skills. Public schools in Texas will become literally indistinguishable from private religious institutions and churches.
July 16th, 2009 at 3:59 pmAt the same time, Peter Marshall wants more teaching of Christianity’s role “in America’s past“
I concur …………I want everyone to see/know how Christianity is responsible for fu(king up a lot of things in America………………..
July 16th, 2009 at 4:01 pmConservative Education ‘Experts’
Isn’t that an oxymoron?
July 16th, 2009 at 4:02 pmdid that american taliban bigot lady get her appointment to dept of education? (was it?)
July 16th, 2009 at 4:03 pmtexas dept of ed…
July 16th, 2009 at 4:03 pmThis is ludicrous at it’s best and will never be upheld in SCOTUS as it will violate the separation of state and religion.
These Repukelicans really are “dumbing down” these kids by forcing them to forgo US History? WTF!?! This boils down to an attempt to keep Obama and Sotomayor out of the history books in Texas. Another embarrassment for the state of Texas.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:04 pmThis country would be so much better off if Texas were to secede. Personally I think we should give Texas back to Mexico.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:06 pmpublishers are reluctant to produce different versions of the same material.”
make it easy then – produce ACCURATE material. period.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:07 pmMCMetal @ 18 you are absolutly correct.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:07 pmMarshall…also recommends that school children get a better understanding of the motivational role the Bible and the Christian faith played in the settling of the original colonies. [...]
“In light of the overwhelming historical evidence of the influence of the Christian faith in the founding of America, it is simply not up to acceptable academic standards that throughout the social studies (curriculum standards) I could only find one reference to the role of religion in America’s past,” Marshall said in his review.
Yeah , It was so influential………………………………………………That the majority of the founders became Deists , you jackass ……………
July 16th, 2009 at 4:08 pmOh great, This is just what Texas needs. The fact is their education standards are so low, they are cheating their children out of a decent future. What is up with these Southern States and their reliance on religion? For God’s sake! The best thing we can do is educate our children with cold, hard facts. What about the separation of Church and State?
July 16th, 2009 at 4:09 pm“Don’t Mess With Texas….Because us Texans are messing it up fine all by ourselves”
July 16th, 2009 at 4:09 pmGee, will they teach how the South cited Scripture and invoked God for slavery or treason? Or how a Pennsylvania public school Bible recitation law sparked a riot in Philadelphia in 1844? Or how Manifest Destiny sparked a war of conquest against Mexico and genocide against Indians? Or how the Mormons were persecuted in the Midwest, their founder assassinated and the sect driven west? Or how Christianity played an important role in the 20th century resurrections of the KKK? Or … you get the idea.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:11 pmThis is of a piece with the Christian evangelical dream of world takeover (see Coe, Cunningham and “C Street”). A sorry outcome of keeping the Union together back in the day… Too bad we can’t say with Hendrik Hertzberg put it, “So long, Pardner.”
Can we keep this country together with such wide and unbridgeable variance in fundamental values? As an upper mid Westerner I never thought these ideas were thinkable… let alone, are being implemented.
The problem with these fellows is that they do not believe in live and let live. They will come after the rest of us with pitchforks, mark my words.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:11 pmMy goodness – I hope parents fight against this nonsense! They want to poison childrens minds. We’ve got enough wingnuts on the loose already!
July 16th, 2009 at 4:12 pmI used to say too to let Texas secede and good riddance.
I was corrected by being told that Texas has way too much oil and natural gas for that to be a good idea for the US.
Better for the federal govt. just to take over the Texas state gov’t due to incompetence.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:13 pmOT. Stefan Cooks case was tossed by a Federal Judge.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:16 pmThe two are interrelated, chiroptera toasterhead . Even when kids are taught critical thinking it can be undermined by enough false information. The poor things start applying logic to that which is, logically, unsupportable.
But we would do a lot better if we went to some of the classical subjects like logic, debate, and philosophy. Heck! Waaaay back when I was in high school I benefited immeasurably from an elective course in Greek mythology with a motivated teacher.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:17 pmI’m all for teaching kids about Republican values in America: defense of slavery, the only good Indian is a dead Indian, the robber barons of the Gilded Age, Jim Crow, the Sand Creek Massacre, the Triangle Shirt fire, Opposition to women’s suffrage, America First, Union Busting…
…absolutely vital to any teaching of American history….
July 16th, 2009 at 4:17 pmAnd the “dumbing down” of America continues.
RIP
July 16th, 2009 at 4:18 pmSGT Stephen R. Sherman
C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
KIA 3 Feb 2005
Mosul, Iraq
David Barton graduated from Aledo High School in Aledo, Texas. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in religious education from Oral Roberts University in 1976, but has no academic qualifications in history. And it most certainly shows …………………………
July 16th, 2009 at 4:19 pmP.D. The judge dismissed the case because his orders were revoked and saw no point in moving forward with maj. kook’s claims.
maj. kook showed up to court in his military uniform that might be a violation of the UCMJ. If he isn’t currently active and on duty I’m not sure if he’s allowed to wear the uniform. Any posters out there with a greater grasp on this?
July 16th, 2009 at 4:21 pmOh yeah, the founding fathers were so impressed with religion they specifically wrote things in to separate Church and State. And now these clowns are reminding us why.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:21 pmTexas Taliban revisionist history= bullshit
July 16th, 2009 at 4:22 pmCésar Chávez isn’t as important to learn about as Ben Franklin but if Barton wants people to learn about the positive role of religon in our history you’d think he’d want to include Chávez since he was a practicing Catholic.
I have a feeling that Barton simply doesn’t like Mexicans or Mexican-Americans.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:23 pmDavid Barton graduated from Aledo High School in Aledo, Texas. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in religious education from Oral Roberts University in 1976, but has no academic qualifications in history.
—
And it most certainly shows. All Barton does is misrepresent the cases of our Founding Fathers and talk as though they were theocrats. They were Deists that appreciated the significance of keeping the state and church separate entities.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:23 pmit is texas what do you expect from them
christian war mongers and they dont have a clue they are
they dont want the words and values of jesus put into their books but their own “christian values”.
as mark twain stated god made man in his image and then man returned the favor.
texas is living proof of mark twain’s statement.
go texas the bottom feeders of american politics.
they are still mad that the north kicked their butts.
what we sow we reap even my hostile words here have karmic actions for me
darn those spiritual laws :-)
July 16th, 2009 at 4:25 pmWhaT about children who aren’t Christian? Isn’t there Jewish kids and Buddist kids who live in Texas? Can they sue if this is required? This seems so backward to me. New textbooks should have recent facts. Science and Math are the way of the future. Forcing kids to learn about religion is unconstitutional. That kind of teaching belongs in the Church. Period.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:27 pmAre they going to include the part where Jesus freed the slaves?
July 16th, 2009 at 4:27 pm[Barton] said that because the U.S. is a republic rather than a democracy, the proper adjective for identifying U.S. values and processes should be “republican” rather than “democratic.”
Does that mean we’re bringing ‘republic’ to Iraq? Or would that be ‘republicanism’?
Doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:28 pmIf anyone knows where you can contribute to advance the cause of Texas secession, please post that information here.
I’d love to contribute.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:28 pmPeople’s Republic of China. There’s a republic. Dolt.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:29 pmYou can’t expect children to learn anything when the idiots are in charge of the asylum.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:29 pmI don’t remember people being this kookie when I lived in Texas. That was years ago and I was a kid, but I don’t remember them being this kookie.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:30 pmBanana Republic. Is Texas going to include the finer points of cotton clothing?
July 16th, 2009 at 4:30 pmhell@39. He wore his UNIFORM! Wasn’t he dismissed?! God. My stomach is turning.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:30 pmSecession be damned. Let’s just pack all the fundies off to Texas (like we did to the 5 Tribes and Oklahoma) and let them go. Rational residents of Texas will be encouraged to come find their place in a country that isn’t headed towards a republic where a religious council will make the rules.
And they won’t even have to move to Iran to get it.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:31 pmIn Texas, Republican Re-Education Camps are apparently called “schools.”
PEACE
July 16th, 2009 at 4:32 pmMark my words: They don’t want to teach about Christianity’s “role” in establishing the colonies, which is a complete and utter simplification of historic facts (and no wonder – one of the men pushing this only received a religious degree, but anything concerning history). They want to slyly insert religious indoctrination into the classroom by corrupting good science and forcing children to read a sugercoated summary of how wonderful Christianity is.
They want to indoctrinate children. Period.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:32 pmspencers mom@55, Didn’t Michelle Bachman warn us about that? Oh yeah, She was talking about Obama’s Volunteer Program.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:34 pmFor a so-called anti-communist culture, they sure do latch onto Marx’s “religion is the opiate of the masses” meme.
PEACE
July 16th, 2009 at 4:34 pmOur great nation was founded by rabid liberals (mostly deists). How about they spend more time on the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the separation of church and state, along with other liberal values in the U.S.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:34 pmThey would rather put their “Political Party” first before all else. Even before country!
July 16th, 2009 at 4:34 pmOh well, what can you do? It’s up to Texans to vote these idiots out of their state government.
Some of these Texas Taliban are worse than the
Afgan version.. Yet they still consider themselves
“good” Christians..
Do you think Jesus would have worn a six shooter
July 16th, 2009 at 4:35 pmif he had lived in Texas in the last hundred years?
OT but Maj. Cook was in violation when he wore his military uniform to the court house.
He conducted an interview that, most likely, wasn’t sanctioned by his superiors.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:37 pmhellinabucket says:
P.D. The judge dismissed the case because his orders were revoked and saw no point in moving forward with maj. kook’s claims.
maj. kook showed up to court in his military uniform that might be a violation of the UCMJ. If he isn’t currently active and on duty I’m not sure if he’s allowed to wear the uniform. Any posters out there with a greater grasp on this?
This makes me sick to know that boy put on his military uniform to argue a case against a sitting US President. By waring that uniform he disgraced all the troops that lost their lives and the current troops battling Islamic extremist. Now I wonder what his stupid conspirator lawyer will say now that she lost?
July 16th, 2009 at 4:37 pmWell, apparently Gov. Perry is crushing Hutchinson in the polls. All the hope I had for Texas just flew out the window.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:39 pmDavid Barton, one of the so-called “experts,”….
You mean quote-fabricator and revisionist “historian” David Barton?
He can GFH.
Cheers,
July 16th, 2009 at 4:39 pmThis is also a glaring demonstration of the need for national textbook standards. The sad fact is that Texas is a big enough market that publishers will consider altering their texts to please them. And those textbooks will go to other states too.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:41 pmranus@63, That lawyer should be investigated. This whole thing was cooked up by her, Now other enlisted men are joining the bandwagon. This whole thing was a fraud. Just you watch. This guy will be the new ‘Joe the Plumber’ but with a uniform that technically he isn’t allowed to wear. SIGH.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:42 pm[Barton] said that because the U.S. is a republic rather than a democracy, the proper adjective for identifying U.S. values and processes should be “republican” rather than “democratic.”
Actually, isn’t the most accurate term ‘representative democracy?’
July 16th, 2009 at 4:44 pmHoodathunktick says:
Secession be damned. Let’s just pack all the fundies off to Texas (like we did to the 5 Tribes and Oklahoma) and let them go. Rational residents of Texas will be encouraged to come find their place in a country that isn’t headed towards a republic where a religious council will make the rules.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
_____________
Sounds good to me, as long as they don’t get any nuclear weapons. We wouldn’t want those weapons falling in the hands of a dictatorial theocratic regime, now, would we?
Happily, after we get our nukes back, Texas will no longer present a threat. Since there will be no scientists or even rational thinkers there, there’ll be no chance of them developing nuclear weapons on their own.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:44 pmReading this kind of nonsense and knowing it could actually be adopted not only scares the hell out of me but actually makes me physically sick. Someone has to stop this, as far as I know this is still America not a christan right gulag.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:45 pmWhat difference does it make? Hutchison’s voting record sucks!
Rated 100% by the Christian Coalition
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Kay_Bailey_Hutchison.htm
July 16th, 2009 at 4:47 pmI’ve been chasing these jesus marines out of my public school for decades.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:48 pmThey hate the ACLU so much it has an unlisted phone number here.
Pete, the best history instructor I ever had didn’t even use a textbook. But then she was reared and educated in England.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:48 pmIt will be easy to take out George Washington since there is not one single reference to Jesus in his writings or papers. Washington even thought the explanation for Jesus rising from the dead was that he had been buried alive.
Maybe we should stop teaching about anyone that didn’t talk about Jesus. That would rule out Franklin (who the panel praised) and Jefferson. In fact, lets replace history with Bible school.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:49 pmAll they are doing is taking a step toward making more of their h.s. graduates unable to compete beyond the high school level. Colleges do have admissions requirements that base a student’s admission on the content of the classes the student took in h.s. Perry, his textbook adoption committee, and many citizens will not realize the mistake of incorporating religious studies into the state’s textbooks until the students have trouble being accepted into colleges or get there and find themselves so far behind everyone else.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:50 pmI’m also willing to donate to any group that challenges Perry on this.
shoeless@71, LOL, you’re right. But I would rather have a rightie who seems sane, than a secessionist nut-job. Who by the way, Just asked for more stimulus money. I guess we wont se him at any more tea-bag parties, will we?
July 16th, 2009 at 4:50 pmIf one is trying to convince a person to believe something, then it is much easier to prevent that person from ever learning enough to question that belief.
If a person is told something from the time they are young enough to understand words, and that same thing is repeated over and over, woven into rituals and rights of passage, even into reproduction and death, it requires a mental leap to realize it could all be a lie.
A person is not automatically able to question his or her own beliefs, in fact, it’s one of the most difficult things a person can do. An educated person invariably questions his or her beliefs more than an uneducated person.
This is why every religion has its own “private” education system. It is much easier to make someone believe something if everyone around them believes it, and every book they read pushes it.
Republicans have adopted this aspect of religion. The Republicans want people to believe their alternate reality, and it is much easier to do that if those people are poorly educated. Remember “no child left behind”?
The United States has the stupidest population in the industrialized world and we can thank our theocratic fascist Republicans for it. Republicans have adopted fascism, religion and propaganda to pander to the least common denominator.
Whoa, when did I start writing long posts….
July 16th, 2009 at 4:53 pmP.D.@64
Hutchinson and Dubya are BFF’s. I’m sure she’ll get in if he needs her there.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:54 pmThe way these people are going they are going to brand their followers so that they can be easily recognized anywhere by rational thinking people.
They will be the ones wearing slip on shoes and their underwear on the outside.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:55 pmDo you guys remember that Jesus Camp? You know the one where those insane people would indoctrine those poor young kids into thinking George Bush was annointed by God? What ever happened to those nut jobs?
July 16th, 2009 at 4:56 pmLevi the Dungbeetle says:
Whoa, when did I start writing long posts….
I’m guessing that the start was when you got a secular education that included critical thinking skills ;)
July 16th, 2009 at 4:57 pmokie dokie@78, Yeah. Just send Jeb and Katherine Harris down to Texas at election night and let them steal it. But ask yourself, Who’s worse? Perry or Hutchinson? I’m in a quandry.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:57 pmThey probably live in my neighborhood.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:00 pm61 mild_bill said,
Wearing a sidearm in Texas is not at all unusual. They have real problems with rattlesnakes and wild boars. The cowboy boots and six-shooter are more a matter of survival than any western movie prop might make you think.
So in answer to your question, if Jesus were in Texas today or in the last 100 years, there is a very good chance he would wear a sidearm and wear high, thick, leather boots (to protect against rattlesnake bites).
July 16th, 2009 at 5:01 pmI don’t remember people being this kookie when I lived in Texas. That was years ago and I was a kid, but I don’t remember them being this kookie.
I’ve been asking myself that for several years now. Where did all these stupid people suddenly come from? I know there has always been stupid people. But they seem to have just burst out onto the scene en masse the last decade.
They don’t know and don’t know they don’t know but with an agenda and they’re undeterred. Like my next door neighbor’s senile old wife chasing him with a butcher’s knife in the front yard. She had Alzheimer’s that eventually killed her and he died shortly afterwards.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:02 pmThe bigger problem is that textbooks adopted in Texas get pushed through in other states too. Since Texas is the 800 pound gorilla in the book buying business our decisions set the standard for lots of other folks.
As a Texan I am always dismayed by the theocrats who swarm to Austin at textbook time. They have no interest in the education of Texas students only pushing their religious beliefs. They have pretty much given up on the whole “creationism” crap and now have focused on the myth that we are a “Christian nation”.
As a Christian and a Texan, I am offended by their puny ideology and bad theology. If only real educators were in charge instead of the “silent majority”?
July 16th, 2009 at 5:04 pmPerry is too crazy to do permanent damage.
I’d be more concerned about Hutchinson doing the bidding of the evil Bushmaster, myself.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:05 pmAren’t the boats enough protection or is “When Wild Animals Attack” Left alone few animals are interested in people. What does the snake have to gain?
July 16th, 2009 at 5:06 pmOn the one hand the unholy alliance of corporatism, religion, banking and government want unregulated capitalism [sociopathic game theory] and on the other they want kings, clergy and willing leaping lemmings…
July 16th, 2009 at 5:10 pmEverything’s bigger in Texas – delusions, hypocrisy, ignorance,…
July 16th, 2009 at 5:10 pmModerate@90, Don’t forget guns!
July 16th, 2009 at 5:12 pmYour headline is misleading – the last thing on earth Conservative “educators” want is more Jesus. More God, more bible, sure, but Jesus himself was far too liberal.
Just listen to the evangelicals preach! Lots of Old Testament, ’cause the OT God kicked a lot of people’s butts. But no, they’re not going to be quoting a guy who told his followers to share equally amongst themselves, to separate the earthly kingdom from the Heavenly one, and that turning the other cheek was a sign of bravery and devotion to a loving God. Nope, can’t have any of that hippie-dippie Jesus stuff.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:13 pmpete says:
——————————————————————————–
This is also a glaring demonstration of the need for national textbook standards. The sad fact is that Texas is a big enough market that publishers will consider altering their texts to please them. And those textbooks will go to other states too.
I can’t really find an interest to be alarmed there, considering how rare schools buy new textbooks nowadays. Personally, I find *that* the bigger problem. A good – actually, even a mediocre or even poor – teacher can always find ways to introduce the real facts about History that the textbook isn’t telling you. Most of my history classes were lecture/activity anyways.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:17 pmmuy rosada says:
Pete, the best history instructor I ever had didn’t even use a textbook. But then she was reared and educated in England.
My very favorite high school teacher was a biology teacher from Germany. He had the mind of an Einstein and the mannerisms of a Col. Klink. In addition to his engaging character he always used the first third of the class for an open discussion of current events, whether it had anything to do with biology or not. The rest of the time was almost all hands-on observation and experimentation. The textbook was simply for reference and a source of illustrations.
Back to the subject of textbooks. I don’t think a national standard should be used to force a given textbook on any one teacher, school, or district. I do think, however, there should be a legal block to prevent a given school district, or board, from dictating what’s in textbooks others may use.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:18 pmTo pakaal: Read the new Christianity tracts of Coe, and the “Seven Mountains” doctrine of the Cunninghams… Also Jeff Sharlet’s book on “The Family” or self-styled Christian mafia… they believe Christ has been understood upside down, and that he really meant “Power to the Powerful” and wealth to the wealthy and definitely not ’share equally’ among all. It’s chilling to read that this is the cult of Christianity to which so many of our ‘elected’ leaders, esp. Republican senators like Ensign and Coburn, and governor Sanford (and Palin maybe?) subscribe.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:20 pmFind a kid that reads the textbook. Skim around and look for bold type vocab maybe. Read? Not so much…
July 16th, 2009 at 5:21 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Just listen to the evangelicals preach! Lots of Old Testament, ’cause the OT God kicked a lot of people’s butts. But no, they’re not going to be quoting a guy who told his followers to share equally amongst themselves, to separate the earthly kingdom from the Heavenly one, and that turning the other cheek was a sign of bravery and devotion to a loving God. Nope, can’t have any of that hippie-dippie Jesus stuff.
No Sermon on the Mount. It’s Corporate Jesus carrying an M-16, in people’s bedrooms and the idoltry of worshiping Israel. It’s really gotten warped even more and then warped some more.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:22 pmHi Darryl still no naked sky riding eh? I agree kids should know about Martin Guitar in Nazareth. These latino dude Jesus? I am not so sure but the one in the Big Lebowski was an alledged molester wasn’t he?
July 16th, 2009 at 5:24 pmWow– Texas apparently wants to become the most ridiculous state. This, & Perry? No wonder everyone laughs at them, while being deeply concerned at their rejection of the U.S. Constitution. If Repubs in Texas actually lived by Jesus’ beliefs, it wouldn’t be so pathetic, but they don’t. They live by bigotry, racism, & execution (yes, I know, not all Texans, but it certainly appears to the rest of the world that the vast majority fit that bill. I mean, Bush is from Texas!)
July 16th, 2009 at 5:24 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
This not these. Boot not boat. Damn I have keyboard issues…
July 16th, 2009 at 5:25 pmSure why not in a humanities class if they are into it.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:26 pmPete,
I find it interesting that, with the exception of two college professors, all the best professors/instructors I had were reared and educated in that
July 16th, 2009 at 5:27 pm“godless secular Europe” that the fundies complain about.
Marshall better be careful with what he asks for because he might get it.
One of the roles of religion was for Southern States to be allow slave ownership. Later that same religion condoned Jim Crow laws. Yes, the church was deeply involved in our seedy past. Is this what Marshall wants taught to Texas school children? It sure sounds like it. Religion certainly doesn’t have clean hands when it comes to some of our most regrettable history. While he is at it he can talk about how religious bigotry drove the Mormons to resettle in Utah and then there is the war against our native American “heathens”.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:27 pmIsn’t it striking that some of the happiest nations in the world are also more secular than America? Look at Japan and key European nations. They understand the value of keeping the church/state separate, but spineless American theocrats need to slyly insert their religious agenda in schools. They care little for our Constitution or, indeed, the facts of the matter.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:27 pmI couldn’t agree more…let’s really finally teach the kids how the extermination of the original inhabitants of what is now the U.S. came about.
I suspect this is a wider trend, not just in Texas…
July 16th, 2009 at 5:30 pmReading this, I got an earworm that just won’t let go.
Someone should tell Mr. Barton his theme song has been written – ready for him to use. Linda Ronstadt sang it years ago, late 60s maybe early 70s … it goes “We need a whole lot more of Jesus and a lot less rock and roll…” Catchy little number too. Perfect for his cause.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:31 pmAren’t there some schools already in place where the children can be indoctrinated into believing superstitions?
What’s the name? what’s the name?…
Sunday CHURCH School!
July 16th, 2009 at 5:32 pm“Marshall…also recommends that school children get a better understanding of the motivational role the Bible and the Christian faith played in the settling of the original colonies.”
Yeah and the students should address their teacher – males only, of course – as “Father”. And when Father has completed the indoctrination, he can then instruct his students to drink the Kool-aid. The grape kool-aid that smells of bitter almonds.
Yeah! That’s the ticket!
These goddamned christian clowns turn my smile upside down!
July 16th, 2009 at 5:32 pmImagine no religion….
I think that Texas should be turned into an evangelical habitat, where the holy rollers can run rampant, ban anything fun and indulge their stupidest dogmatic whims.
All evangelicals nationwide would have the option of relocating there, in order to have their own theocracy.
The rest of us could then live in peace and prosperity, away from all the flotsam and jetsam of the “sanctified.”
July 16th, 2009 at 5:32 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
So about that naked sky riding crap? How come that shit never happens looktothehills. Speaking of never happens what ever happened to the political campaign and the Rio whores and the damning people to hell stuff. Those were your glory days….
July 16th, 2009 at 5:35 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
I would love to see a monument to the holy rollers in Washington D.C.
It could be a compelling representation of Panties in a Wad.
That is generally the holy roller position on virtually anything.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:37 pmmuy rosada,
I’m old enough, and went to good public schools, so I had lots of good teachers with only a few dogs. I shudder to think what it will be like when the children of today’s fundies are teachers.
How the heck can someone who expends effort to remain ignorant and doesn’t believe in a future have anything to offer a young mind?
July 16th, 2009 at 5:37 pmI wasn’t under the impression that matters concerning equality for law-abiding, tax-paying citizensa are strictly liberal concerns, lookforthehills. However, like many other paranoid theocrats, I think you have your facts backwards. I don’t recall “gays” and “pre-marital sex” being taught in schools. In fact, it’s due to fundamental interference that sex is so prevalent. They do not like reasonable sex education that informs studies about appropriate prevention measures and empowerment, it seems.
Like many other theocrats, it seems that you want public schools to become public churches. That is true religious indoctrination. It is a fear of facts and history.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:42 pmIt’s not right to force ANY Belief on ANY child you sanctimonious, stupid, troll. Your 40 year wet dream is dead, drowned in it’s own greed and insanity.
It will take decades to undo the damage done and the time wasted may doom billions to slow death from thirst, starvation, and toxic pollution. But the Psychochristians have lost their grip and the sane neocons are casting you to the side. And the louder you shriek the fewer of you remain. An odd and obscure side effect of America’s flirtation with theocracy.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:46 pmThe Texas students of today who will be taught Adam and Eve in place of the sciences are the Texas hamburger flippers of tomorrow, if that won’t be already fully automated by then.
What will the aerospace industry in Texas find to hire?
More Asians and Europeans who weren’t indoctrinated with the Adam and Eve baloney…
Is this what Texas really wants?
Everytime I think that I may have seen the end of holy roller stupidity, they sink to yet a newer low.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:48 pmActually, it’s the No Child Left Behind that’s was, is and will continue to be a negative influence on education in this country…and what you refer to as “Feel Good educational method” was otherwise known as the Free School movement, occurred around the late 60’s early 70’s. It’s influence was limited and not found outside a very small number of schools and it has long been since discarded. Ironically it gave a push to the home schooling ideology…which many Christians and conservatives seem to embrace….
:|
Too bad you haven’t discarded your outdated talking point.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:49 pmlooktothehills, your agenda is mindless. It’s a sad waste of human resources like human energy and money but we know we have to fight this and we are undeterred.
July 16th, 2009 at 5:50 pmWhy not? The teabaggers all suffer from cognitive dissonance. They will welcome Perry with open arms and act like this sorry episode never happened.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:07 pmlooktothehills says:
Homesexuality and pre-martial sex is not advocated at schools. They are merely taught not to be intolerant of “teh gay” and to take precautions if they so choose to no longer abstain from sex.
Evolution, on the other hand, is a proven fact that should be taught rather than that your fairy daddy poofed everything into existence 6000 years ago.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:08 pmSo essentially and theoretically, one can actually purchase history.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:17 pmrepublicans hate facts,
I’ve been lurking around here for sometime but rarely post and I’m very aware of how The Performance Artist Known As Daryll/LookToTheHills/RaptureReady operates. He spouts his usual anti-gay religious bent while ignoring all facts then runs away to “shake off the Devil” (what a thread that was!).
Thanks. And I would appreciate it if you could turn down the vitriol towards the trolls and use a little more civil tone. They make me want to scream too, but we don’t want to sound like Glenn Beck going nuts.
Thanks.
July 16th, 2009 at 6:45 pmThe thing I hate the most about this is my state of Kentucky usually follows adopting any textbooks that Texas adopts. I have no doubt they will follow Texas like a good little bunch of bible loving lemmings right over the cliff of ignorance.
July 16th, 2009 at 7:21 pmrepublicans hate facts says:
Too true.
July 16th, 2009 at 8:30 pmI’m missing so much here:
If they are gonna emphasize the Christian religion and its role in the foundation of the USA, will they note that many of the founding fathers were Unitarians, Deists, and even one which could possibly be considered a pan-theist ?
I get them dropping Lincoln (after all, he freed the slaves), but dropping both the Father of our Country and the Father of Texas ?
What are Peter Marshall’s credentials for curriculum development ?
Civil Rights aren’t important ? Wonder if that has something to do with the possibility of them Latino’s demanding equality ?
Teaching Republican Values ? Technically they may possibly have a point. But first they’d have to understand that we are a republic form of govt and that form of govt places limits on the ability of one group to use its numbers to tyrannize another group.
July 16th, 2009 at 9:52 pmYou know, you really don’t want to remind us of “Texas” and “schoolbooks.” Fortunately when I was growing up, I didn’t JUSt have Texas schoolbooks, and kids today have the entire world on the internet to counterbalance this crap.
July 16th, 2009 at 9:56 pmTeleMan,
I congratulate you. You are the only person here who has called out RHF for his extremely profane and abusive comments.
His kind of comments have no place here and clearly violate TP’s terms of use.
Don’t be so easy on him.
July 16th, 2009 at 10:04 pmMapleStreet says:
If they are gonna emphasize the Christian religion and its role in the foundation of the USA, will they note that many of the founding fathers were Unitarians, Deists, and even one which could possibly be considered a pan-theist ?
___________
Will they also explain the influence the Christian religion had in making slavery acceptable for the first 100 years of the country’s existence?
Or how it helped justify taking the so-called “American Indians” land from them, or treating women like chattel instead of human beings?
The City on the Hill… Indeed!
***TRoS spits on ground…***
July 16th, 2009 at 10:09 pm“If they are gonna emphasize the Christian religion and its role in the foundation of the USA, will they note that many of the founding fathers were Unitarians, Deists, and even one which could possibly be considered a pan-theist ?”
Most of the founders were clearly Christians.
At the time Unitarians were a branch of Protestantism.
I can think of only one Deist who is considered a founding father and he didn’t sign any of the founding documents.
I am curious to know just which of the founders you consider to be a pantheist?
July 16th, 2009 at 10:46 pmI see the Texan’s are very proud of their native son G. W. Bush.
I assume this move is to enhance the educational system in Texas that produced this President.
July 16th, 2009 at 11:26 pmThe Religious Right has a unique way of rewriting history.
July 16th, 2009 at 11:38 pmThey are also known to quote scripture in the same unique manner, what ever suits their purpose.
This bunch really gives Christianity a bad name.
My Bible isn’t wrapped in red, white and blue.
Was reading the comments here it’s amazing how many people have been suckered into thinking none of the founder were Christians.
July 16th, 2009 at 11:43 pm*sigh* That last post should start with “I”
July 16th, 2009 at 11:45 pmThe one good thing is that if the neocon cowboys get their way, that their kids should have zero excuses for not knowing the Roman numeral system.
Think of all the benefits that would have for careers in statue reading and being proficient at knowing Super Bowls!
The school system provides and parents takes’th away.
July 17th, 2009 at 12:53 amA question for someone who knows more about the law than I do.
Since Texas is responsible for the textbooks that the rest of the country has to use in public schools, for the reasons discussed in this article, is it possible for the people in other states to sue Texas for attempting to force unconstitutional education requirements on the children of not only their state, but the entire country?
Even better, if we, as a country, voted to kick Texas out of the Union, would that stick?
Don’t take this as a joke, because I’m dead serious. They have no right to dictate to the rest of the country what children are taught in public schools. If they want to indoctrinate their own children, that’s their problem. Forcing religious education and the teaching of republican values in public schools all over the states is exemplary of Texas WAY overstepping its bounds.
I’m also not joking about kicking them out of the Union. They are useless, and keep proving it. Everything they have that they brag about belongs to the federal government (oil in the gulf, NASA, military bases, the enormous military contracts that are awarded Texas companies), and the rest of us would be thrilled to death if they all just went away. Side note – all rational Texans (though I question your sanity if you still live their voluntarily…but we can talk about it) are free to come to the US before we close off the border. No sense sending intelligent, decent people away to live with the bleeding morons who think they can do whatever they want and drag the rest of the country down with them because they’re Texans, by god. Idiots.
This is how I know god doesn’t exist. If he did, Texas would have been swallowed up by a giant gaping fissure long before they had the chance of fu(k everything up for everyone else.
July 17th, 2009 at 9:16 amAs a progressive Texan I find myself apologizing for this crap constantly. We need help!!!! Start messing with Texas please, wake these people up.
July 17th, 2009 at 11:20 amMuy and Pete… at the end of the semester, my latin professor would give us a list of the “forbidden books”that the church did not want us to read. This priest was teaching us to think. He always knew who had read what over the summer months. I will always be in his debt… I still read Zola.
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There are many Texans who are appalled at what is happening with our educational system and who are trying to stop these ideological demagogues from taking over. It seems like an uphill battle sometimes.
I find it interesting, though, that so many tolerant, understanding people from around the country want to throw us out instead of trying to help us. I agree the influence this state has over text book publishers is unfair. Talk to the publishers!! Scream at the publishers! Money talks. Believe me there are people here screaming at the text book review boards. Unfortunately, the fundamentalists seems to have the upper hand right now.
Oh, and those of you who feel Christianity was the most important thing to the Founding Fathers, I think you should really read your history. They created this country so there would be separation of church and state, and there would be freedom of religion. They did NOT say that Christianity was the state religion.
I love the way some of you think the Federal government owns everything of value here. If you throw Texas out of the country, the U.S. won’t own those assets anymore.
So, would you like the United States armed forces to invade Texas and make it a protectorate instead of a state?? That’s very democratic and really follows the intent of the Constitution.
Texas has problems, we know that. There are a lot of people here trying to change things.
I wish there weren’t people here who do these crazy things that bring every thinking person in the country down on us. There’s really a lot of good here, but do you think anyone else in the country believes that? All they hear are the ridiculous actions of deluded people. I don’t think Texas has a monopoly on stupidity, but it sure gets publicized.
July 18th, 2009 at 12:36 pm