[ohio]

As if there wasn't already enough information omitted from our textbooks...

Whoever put this into effect can lick my nuts.





edit: by the way, I'm not referring to the book itself by Dianne Ravitch... I'm talking about her subject matter.

 

[T0mo]

can you say "bullsh!t"?

 

[llkoolkeg]

I'm agreeing with ohio on something!

 

[ARmtnBIKER]

I saw her on "The Daily Show with John Stewart" a couple of weeks ago, I couldn't believe some of the stuff she was saying had been taken out of school books because its not PC. She gave an example of a story about a heroic blind man that climbed some mountain, well they said they couldn't publish a story like that in a book now because it makes blindness look like a handicap.. DUH?? The funny thing was John had a come back of "well did the guy know he was climbing a mountain?" which I thought was a ballsy comeback... I hope this book goes over good, maybe if everybody will read it they will realize how pathetic this PC world is getting...

 

[Spud]

That story was a pathetic piece of reporting. Shallow on the facts/background and full of colorful outrages.

I've heard an interview with the author of the book. Very interesting how both the right and left have totally messed up textbooks by using California and Texas text review boards as the basis of what goes into a book. She has some very important issues to address, it's a shame that the press can't find the effort to dive into it deeper.

 

[ohio]

Originally posted by Spud
Very interesting how both the right and left have totally messed up textbooks by using California and Texas text review boards as the basis of what goes into a book.

Except that those two end up dictating what goes into texts for the rest of the country, since publishers don't feel like having seperate editions for other states...

 

[BurlyShirley]

good god.

People who get offended suck...

 

[Spud]

Originally posted by ohio
Except that those two end up dictating what goes into texts for the rest of the country, since publishers don't feel like having seperate editions for other states...

Exactly. Texas and California dictate for the rest of the U.S. because they control the market volume. As those states tend to be fairly extreme on either side of the spectrum everything gets dumbed down or eliminated.

 

[LoboDelFuego]

Originally posted by BurlySurly
good god.

People who get offended suck...

What? Dare you use the name of the lord our father in vain! He shall smite you....after I burn you at the stake!

lol i can totaly rate to the textbook thing: My AP Eurpean history textbook is really really old (i wasnt there the day they got handed out so i got some crap one that was lost in a closet somewhere) It makes all sorts of references to "coloreds" and "negroes." my friends and I used to have a great time reading the antiquated vocab in class.

My 7th grade teacher who was a really smart guy (phd at harvard, blah blah) talked about how new textbooks were trying to make women and other minorities look important throughout histry in order to be PC. He always complained about how they were modifying history, like there was a whole chapter in our book talking about how awesome native American civilization was and how advanced they were, and my teacher said “Obviously this was not true. The Native Americans were considerably pre black powder, this thing makes them look like intellectuals who decided to organize their societies in an advanced way.” Also, we were studying American history and the book mentioned this one general (british) in the Revolutionary war, who always had trouble with his supply lines. the book said. “his soldiers were carrying heavy supplies” but our teacher told us about how he really just had a ton of carriages filled with hookers, and that the old textbook had mentioned that as proof of the older thinking of British military at the time. By eliminating the absolute truth from history books you lose the ability to draw parallels, which is the whole point of studying history, because as we know, it repeats itself.

 

[Spud]

The marines have hookers in Amtracks? Cool!

 

[ohio]

Originally posted by LoboDelFuego

He always complained about how they were modifying history, like there was a whole chapter in our book talking about how awesome native American civilization was and how advanced they were, and my teacher said ?Obviously this was not true. The Native Americans were considerably pre black powder, this thing makes them look like intellectuals who decided to organize their societies in an advanced way.?

I'd suggest that both you and your 7th grade teacher brush up on your history. Here's a few quick pointers to get you both started:

1. It's civilizationS (plural)
2. Several of them were extremely advanced in terms of economics, politics, astronomy and language. Those societies DID organize in an advanced way. Many others did not by western european standards, but given their culture found themselves far more civilized than the invading European hordes.
3. Gun powder does not equal civilization. Which is more civilized, a serfdom with gunpowder, or a free-market economy without?

Your history teacher sounds like a real jackass.

 

[LordOpie]

the indians were whores who sold their land for whiskey and beads...

They'd be awesome to hang with at Mardi Gras!

 

[BurlyShirley]

Originally posted by LordOpie
the indians were whores who sold their land for whiskey and beads...

They'd be awesome to hang with at Mardi Gras!

hehe!

I almost got my indian friend to trade me his house once for a mirror when he was drunk. But then he reminded me that he was from 'India' and not a native american and thats why he drives a BMW and im poor