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Push to Remove People from History Textbooks
Published : Tuesday, 09 Mar 2010, 8:50 AM MST

AUSTIN, TX - It's a battle of the books. Who should be included in school history textbooks and who should be left out? The latest battlefield is in Texas, where some noted people are being left out of the curriculum.

U.S. history - what our children learn in school, depends on the history written in their textbooks.

"We have to take the partisan politics out of what are children are being taught in the classroom as far as history is concerned." said April Griffin, a school board member.

But that's what critics say is happening in Texas, where a mostly Republican Board of Education is "rewriting the history books" wanting to include more conservative ideas, including teaching America's "Christian or Biblical heritage."

Terry Kemple with the Community Issues Council in Tampa, Florida, agrees with what's happening in Texas, saying both sides of this issue have an agenda. "The thing is, which is the agenda, that is most true to American History. and if you go back and review history. There's no question, that the Christian underpinnings of our government is what we should be teaching our kids."

But there are concerns over some of the names being erased from the books. In early drafts, the Board looked at throwing out Neil Armstrong, Christopher Columbus, Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein. Armstrong and Columbus are back in..the others, still out. They could be replaced with names like Senator Joseph McCarthy and Phyllis Schlafly, an opponent of feminism and the equal rights amendment.

"The fact that this is such a partisan issue, thats what this is, this is politics playing out in the classroom and that should not happen. educators, practitioners need to be making these decisions." said Griffin.

It's a national issue because Texas is one of the largest buyers of textbooks. What they buy impacts other states. Griffin says Florida has the Sunshine state standards and wouldn't buy these books if it doesn't meet the standards. "We have a very big say in what the publishers write."

But smaller states might not have a choice.

Amazing isn't it. What is wrong with Texans lol.
I read a few months ago something about them dumbing down the text books in schools & now this too.
I really dont understand the logic behind it.
And they want secession from the States...unbelievable

but they do have great barbecue, decent guacamole... and the state is home to the national museum of funeral history.

Brian....

I know how much you love emoticons, but that was funny, and that's no crock of guacamole.

Sean

I'm going to avoid devling into politics....since that was my serious gripe about a prior board that shall remain nameless....but for the love of God....I consider myself fairly well educated (if not over educated), and I had to look up who Phyllis Schlafly was. How can anyone argue that she merits inclusion in a text book over any of those names, is beyond me.

And odd...I seem to recall discussing all of those individuals (well, except for Phyllis) in my American history course in high school, at least in passing. I suppose between all that BBQ and guac, Texans don't have much time for that "book learnin' stuff"?




and no offense to any Texans...unless you're actually involved in the b.s. of chosing who is included in these books. If that is the case, please, do feel offended, as I am mocking you.

Please dont take offence to this either, but everytime I hear one of these stories coming out of Texas, I immediately think of this song. I just cant help myself

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtRHm6YrD9s[/youtube]

gramophoneshane wrote: And they want secession from the States...unbelievable

Let 'em go. And take the Dallas Cowboys with them. They won't be missed. Not by me, at any rate. Then they can deal with the illegal alien problem----if anybody wants to go there.

Thanks for the vid, g-shane. Betty Hutton was one of our all-time great talents.

Henry wrote: Betty Hutton was one of our all-time great talents.

Wasn't she ever!
There a great interview with Betty Hutton on youtube in 3 or 4 parts that is well worth watching.
She really was a outstanding & unique woman.

I stand corrected. It's a 6 part interview done in 2000. This is part 1.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-_IOIYrfL4[/youtube]

This is the very interview conducted by Robert Osborne on the Turner Classic Movie network here. It's really hard to picture the woman in the interview as that vivacious, beautiful gal in "Greatest Show on Earth" and "Annie Get Your Gun." The way she turned her back on the phony glitter and duplicity of Hollywood culture, and the bizarre final years of her completely new life in Connecticut with the RC priest, and the ruined hulk of a person we see in the interview, are all really heartbreaking reminders of the toll that a life in show biz takes on some folks. No wonder that the likes of Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward fled to Connecticut, Harrison Ford to Montana, Marlon Brando to who knows where, and so many others. What price glory, indeed.

My daughter's U.S. History II professor told the class that Tesla is largely forgotten. Do you agree or disagree with that statement?