Post by rosa on Jul 25, 2009 6:34:17 GMT -7
Proposed changes recommended by a minority of so-called "experts" advising the Texas School Board should be of concern to all Texans, if for no other reason than what is very clear to the rest of the country.
These board members are proposing changes in historical curriculae that would emphasize the role of religion in our country's founding, and minimize content on historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln and Stephen F. Autstin. They want to eliminate content on civil rights activists Thurgood Marshal and Cesar Chavez.
The contributions of all those civil rights leaders who fought for equality and diversity should be lauded-kids are tested on their knowledge of individuals such as Marshall and Chavez in high school and beyond. But these "experts" seemingly disagree.
I'm posting two different articles addressing this issue-one is an "alert" from a grassroots organization, the other is a news article that is less "reactive", better researched and more balanced, but nonetheless saying the same thing: Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall are relevant, dynamic and critical historical figures, just as Washington, Lincoln and Austin are!
Here is the UFW Entry:
Tell Texas not to remove Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall from school books
There is an education war going on in Texas that you need to know about and get involved with. The TX State Board of Education is currently preparing to adopt new social studies curriculum standards.
These standards have major national implications as Texas is such a major purchaser of textbooks and their state’s required curriculum drives the content of textbooks produced nationwide.
Please read the following and then take action and forward this to as many friends as possible.
The TX State Board of Education has hired 6 "experts" to determine what will be in the books their schools use. Some of these "experts" are arguing that the state’s social studies and history textbooks are giving "too much attention" to some of the most prominent civil rights leaders in US History, namely Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall.
David Barton, one of these "experts," claimed Cesar Chavez "lacks the stature, impact and overall contributions of so many others." Another of these "experts" evangelical minister Peter Marshall said, "To have Cesar Chavez listed next to Ben Franklin"--as in the current standards--"is ludicrous." He went on to say Chavez is not a role model who "ought to be held up to our children as someone worthy of emulation."
The same "expert" wants to eliminate Thurgood Marshall, a prominent Civil Rights leader who argued the landmark case that resulted in school desegregation and was the first African-American U.S. Supreme Court justice. He wrote that the late justice is "not a strong enough example" of an important historical figure to be presented to Texas students.
Board members and their appointees have complained about an "over representation of minorities" in the current social studies standards. This is ironic in light of the changing demographics of our country. Sadly, Latino and African-American children have the highest drop-out rates in the country. It’s essential to ensure schools are providing students with role models and historical figures whose experiences reflect their own.
We must be concerned when the contributions of Cesar Chávez, Thurgood Marshall and other individuals who have contributed so much to the landscape of American democracy are cast aside and ridiculed. We should welcome the inclusion of all Americans who have helped to make this nation great.
It is horrific to discover that the TX State Board of Education has allowed these panelists to use our children's social studies curriculum as a platform for their political agendas.
Here is the news article, off the Houston Chronicle
www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6526101.html
Less Lincoln, more religion in class?
Proposed revisions to social studies curriculum could ruffle feathers
By GARY SCHARRER
Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau
July 13, 2009, 7:28AM
Cesar Chavez? Not worthy of his role-model status.
Christianity? Emphasize its importance.
Such suggestions are part of efforts to rewrite history books for the state's schoolchildren, producing some expert recommendations that are sure to inflame Texans, no matter their political leanings.
The State Board of Education expects to start discussing new social studies curriculum standards this week, with members of the public getting their first opportunity to speak this fall and a final board vote next spring.
The process is a long one with lasting impact: reshaping the social studies curriculum, including history, for 4.7 million Texas public school children.
“This is something that every parent would want to be paying attention to. This will determine whether or not the kids get the education needed to succeed in college and jobs in the future,” said Dan Quinn of the Austin-based Texas Freedom Network. “If we are going to politicize our kids' education, that will put our kids behind other kids when they're competing for college and good-paying jobs on down the road.”
Curriculum standards are updated about every 10 years; the last social studies update came in 1997.
According to a preliminary draft of the new proposed standards, biographies of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Stephen F. Austin have been removed from the early grades, said Brooke Terry of the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
The early draft, which is likely to change multiple times in the coming months, also removes Independence Day, Veterans' Day, and anthems and mottos for both Texas and the United States in a section on holidays, customs and celebrations, she said.
“You have the ability to shape the next generation on the beliefs about the government and the role of personal responsibility but also understanding our history and the principles that we want to pass down to our children,” Terry said. “With many of the suggested changes, I think we would be backtracking on many of the important things that people fight for in defense of our country.”
“You have the ability to shape the next generation on the beliefs about the government and the role of personal responsibility but also understanding our history and the principles that we want to pass down to our children,” Terry said. “With many of the suggested changes, I think we would be backtracking on many of the important things that people fight for in defense of our country.”
Six experts appointed
The State Board of Education has appointed six experts to review existing social studies standards, which will influence the new curriculum. Two of them have recommended that migrant farm labor union leader Cesar Chavez, who died in 1993, be removed as an example of a significant model for “active participation in the democratic process.”
“Chavez is hardly the kind of role model that ought to be held up to our children as someone worthy of emulation,” said Peter Marshall, head of Marshall Ministries.
Role of Christian faith
Another expert reviewer, David Barton, said: “Cesar Chavez may be a choice representing diversity, but he certainly lacks the stature, impact and overall contributions of so many others; and his open affiliation with Saul Alinsky's movements certainly makes dubious that he is praiseworthy ... .”
Alinsky influenced the Texas Industrial Areas Foundation, a number of church-based groups that help give low-income Texans a voice and a role in democracy. Those groups include The Metropolitan Organization in Houston.
“Cesar Chavez was one of those great historical figures that struggled for better wages and working conditions of America's farm workers so that they and their families could enjoy a better future,” said Irene Jimenez, a TMO executive board member.
Marshall, one of the expert reviewers, 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. He provided multiple examples of early Americans parlaying their biblical views into the communities and governments they established — beginning with the Pilgrims who risked their lives in coming to America.
“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.
One of the reviewers also suggested that the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall be removed from history books on grounds that he is not an appropriate example as a historical figure of influence. Thurgood Marshall was the NAACP lawyer who won the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme court school segregation case that led to the integration of public schools.
gscharrer@express-news.net
These board members are proposing changes in historical curriculae that would emphasize the role of religion in our country's founding, and minimize content on historical figures such as Abraham Lincoln and Stephen F. Autstin. They want to eliminate content on civil rights activists Thurgood Marshal and Cesar Chavez.
The contributions of all those civil rights leaders who fought for equality and diversity should be lauded-kids are tested on their knowledge of individuals such as Marshall and Chavez in high school and beyond. But these "experts" seemingly disagree.
I'm posting two different articles addressing this issue-one is an "alert" from a grassroots organization, the other is a news article that is less "reactive", better researched and more balanced, but nonetheless saying the same thing: Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall are relevant, dynamic and critical historical figures, just as Washington, Lincoln and Austin are!
Here is the UFW Entry:
Tell Texas not to remove Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall from school books
There is an education war going on in Texas that you need to know about and get involved with. The TX State Board of Education is currently preparing to adopt new social studies curriculum standards.
These standards have major national implications as Texas is such a major purchaser of textbooks and their state’s required curriculum drives the content of textbooks produced nationwide.
Please read the following and then take action and forward this to as many friends as possible.
The TX State Board of Education has hired 6 "experts" to determine what will be in the books their schools use. Some of these "experts" are arguing that the state’s social studies and history textbooks are giving "too much attention" to some of the most prominent civil rights leaders in US History, namely Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall.
David Barton, one of these "experts," claimed Cesar Chavez "lacks the stature, impact and overall contributions of so many others." Another of these "experts" evangelical minister Peter Marshall said, "To have Cesar Chavez listed next to Ben Franklin"--as in the current standards--"is ludicrous." He went on to say Chavez is not a role model who "ought to be held up to our children as someone worthy of emulation."
The same "expert" wants to eliminate Thurgood Marshall, a prominent Civil Rights leader who argued the landmark case that resulted in school desegregation and was the first African-American U.S. Supreme Court justice. He wrote that the late justice is "not a strong enough example" of an important historical figure to be presented to Texas students.
Board members and their appointees have complained about an "over representation of minorities" in the current social studies standards. This is ironic in light of the changing demographics of our country. Sadly, Latino and African-American children have the highest drop-out rates in the country. It’s essential to ensure schools are providing students with role models and historical figures whose experiences reflect their own.
We must be concerned when the contributions of Cesar Chávez, Thurgood Marshall and other individuals who have contributed so much to the landscape of American democracy are cast aside and ridiculed. We should welcome the inclusion of all Americans who have helped to make this nation great.
It is horrific to discover that the TX State Board of Education has allowed these panelists to use our children's social studies curriculum as a platform for their political agendas.
Here is the news article, off the Houston Chronicle
www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6526101.html
Less Lincoln, more religion in class?
Proposed revisions to social studies curriculum could ruffle feathers
By GARY SCHARRER
Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau
July 13, 2009, 7:28AM
Cesar Chavez? Not worthy of his role-model status.
Christianity? Emphasize its importance.
Such suggestions are part of efforts to rewrite history books for the state's schoolchildren, producing some expert recommendations that are sure to inflame Texans, no matter their political leanings.
The State Board of Education expects to start discussing new social studies curriculum standards this week, with members of the public getting their first opportunity to speak this fall and a final board vote next spring.
The process is a long one with lasting impact: reshaping the social studies curriculum, including history, for 4.7 million Texas public school children.
“This is something that every parent would want to be paying attention to. This will determine whether or not the kids get the education needed to succeed in college and jobs in the future,” said Dan Quinn of the Austin-based Texas Freedom Network. “If we are going to politicize our kids' education, that will put our kids behind other kids when they're competing for college and good-paying jobs on down the road.”
Curriculum standards are updated about every 10 years; the last social studies update came in 1997.
According to a preliminary draft of the new proposed standards, biographies of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Stephen F. Austin have been removed from the early grades, said Brooke Terry of the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
The early draft, which is likely to change multiple times in the coming months, also removes Independence Day, Veterans' Day, and anthems and mottos for both Texas and the United States in a section on holidays, customs and celebrations, she said.
“You have the ability to shape the next generation on the beliefs about the government and the role of personal responsibility but also understanding our history and the principles that we want to pass down to our children,” Terry said. “With many of the suggested changes, I think we would be backtracking on many of the important things that people fight for in defense of our country.”
“You have the ability to shape the next generation on the beliefs about the government and the role of personal responsibility but also understanding our history and the principles that we want to pass down to our children,” Terry said. “With many of the suggested changes, I think we would be backtracking on many of the important things that people fight for in defense of our country.”
Six experts appointed
The State Board of Education has appointed six experts to review existing social studies standards, which will influence the new curriculum. Two of them have recommended that migrant farm labor union leader Cesar Chavez, who died in 1993, be removed as an example of a significant model for “active participation in the democratic process.”
“Chavez is hardly the kind of role model that ought to be held up to our children as someone worthy of emulation,” said Peter Marshall, head of Marshall Ministries.
Role of Christian faith
Another expert reviewer, David Barton, said: “Cesar Chavez may be a choice representing diversity, but he certainly lacks the stature, impact and overall contributions of so many others; and his open affiliation with Saul Alinsky's movements certainly makes dubious that he is praiseworthy ... .”
Alinsky influenced the Texas Industrial Areas Foundation, a number of church-based groups that help give low-income Texans a voice and a role in democracy. Those groups include The Metropolitan Organization in Houston.
“Cesar Chavez was one of those great historical figures that struggled for better wages and working conditions of America's farm workers so that they and their families could enjoy a better future,” said Irene Jimenez, a TMO executive board member.
Marshall, one of the expert reviewers, 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. He provided multiple examples of early Americans parlaying their biblical views into the communities and governments they established — beginning with the Pilgrims who risked their lives in coming to America.
“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.
One of the reviewers also suggested that the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall be removed from history books on grounds that he is not an appropriate example as a historical figure of influence. Thurgood Marshall was the NAACP lawyer who won the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme court school segregation case that led to the integration of public schools.
gscharrer@express-news.net