Social Studies History Expert to SBOE: Return to Traditional Education Standards

By Dr. Carole Hornsby Haynes Testimony Presented At November 2009 Meeting of Texas State Board of Education William Lund said We study the past to understand the present; we understand the present to guide the future.   By studying history we can understand people societies and change and how the society we live in came to be.  In considering the social studies standards that are being proposed these topics must be addressed ...  

• How well do these proposed social studies standards educate children about U.S. History?
• Are we really educating our children to become responsible productive citizens?
• Is our education system relegating our citizens to modern-day slavery?

Decidedly socialist negative proposed social studies standards The proposed U.S. history standards present a very negative biased view of our country its people traditions and principles. They emphasize dishonest multiculturalism and divisive social issues rather than Americas great achievements and patriotic passions that unite us.  A few of the examples are as follows: 

• The subject of American Exceptionalism" has been omitted entirely. Left wing liberals refute this term.  However the term exceptional" was first used by Alexis de Tocqueville to describe the United States and the American people in his classic work Democracy in America (18351840) and describes the belief that the United States is an extraordinary and superior nation.
• The three main elements of American Exceptionalism" are as follows: 1.) the belief that the United States is a special nation destined to provide world leadership 2.) the New World is different from the Old World with its commitment to freedom morality and the betterment of humankind 3.) unlike other great nations America will not fail but will continue to exist as a great nation.
• The exceptionalism of America is recognized worldwide.  Indeed millions of people have risked their lives trying to get here by any means. In airports there are long lines of people coming to the United States but very short lines for those wanting to leave it.
• The expansion period in our history is termed imperialism" yet Russian militant aggression into Iron Curtain" countries is labeled expansionism". Our soldiers have fought and died around the world to protect and secure others freedom and we have never asked for more land than that on which to bury our dead.  This is obviously a very leftist bias with the purpose of casting the U.S. in a negative light.
• The standards indicate that free enterprise" and free market" will be used as alternate terms for capitalism". Students need to understand the differences in the terms and that they are not synonymous. Student can better understand the meaning of capitalist" if we use an example of investing ones money or capital to buy stock in a company.  Karl Marx used the term capitalism" quite differently in an effort to describe and denigrate our free market system. He defined it as the creation of a labor market in which most people have to sell their labor-power in order to survive. He believed the ownership of the means of production such as factories and businesses is in the hands of only a few.  
• Our republic is founded on Judeo-Christian values.  Several other religious groups have demanded to be included yet they had no part in the founding of our nation nor have they played any significant role in our heritage.  Therefore the study of other religions belongs in a course on Religions of the World" or in World History but definitely not in a U.S. History course.
• The populist and progressive eras the New Deal the civil rights era and the Great Society are all presented with a leftist bias.  The New Deal and Great Society must be examined in detail to understand the far reaching negative impact these two government interventions had upon our country and the welfare status the rise in single-parent households and the rise in crime to which successive generations of minorities have been relegated.  The actual Congressional votes on civil rights legislation must be reviewed to present a factual unbiased view. Civil Rights legislation was written by Conservative Republicans and passed by a Republican majority Congress.  Democrats thwarted Dwight D. Eisenhowers efforts to pass Civil Rights legislation in the 50s garnering a Nay" vote from then Senator John F. Kennedy.

Yet after losing the civil rights legislative battle Democrats masked the truth and took credit for its passage and since have touted themselves as the protectors of minorities and the downtrodden.  The name of the game is political power and control over our populace.  The result is that black is pitted against white Democrat against Republican and rich against poor. We must stop playing the blame game and pointing fingers and work together to build a better America---a country where everyone has the opportunity to achieve the American Dream. 

• As for the inclusion of hip hop music into the curriculum suffice it to say that the social studies classroom is not a place for the study of various music forms or a theater of entertainment.  The inclusion of hip hop will undoubtedly lead to the inclusion of gangsta rap which endorses violence sexism promiscuity profanity and drug trafficking.
• Diversity seems to be of far greater concern in these proposed standards than consideration of those who made major contributions and achievements in our countrys history. 

It is crucial that we not dilute and corrupt historical facts because of political correctness. We must not strip from our history the heroism and true enlightenment that has born the greatest most benevolent society in recorded history. The myth of American education Our educational goal is to prepare our students to become productive members of society and to manage their business and personal lives.  They must be taught strong academic skills and critical thinking.  This is crucial if we are to have knowledgeable voters who can lead our nation forward instead of backward into tyranny. Yet far too many of our high school graduates are reading at elementary levels and have poor writing skills.  We spend increasing amounts on education but when we compare U.S. students to those of other industrialized nations the U.S. is steadily losing academic standing in the world.  In the 2006 OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) the U.S. ranked #29 in science and #35 in math! It is a fact that many foreigners know more about our U.S. history than do our own citizens. If we adopt these proposed standards without major revisions our next generation will know even less about our founding documents and principles. During the Celebrate Freedom Week students will study our founding documents and principles.  However since this study is only called out in the introduction section of the standards there is no requirement for students to be tested on these so the week appears to be merely one of celebrations and observances. If each generation does not receive a solid grounding in our founding principles and our Constitutional rights we cannot and will not remain a free nation. If a child is taught the old-fashioned 3 Rsreading writing and arithmetic-- he is able to learn independently throughout his life.  I firmly believe we can actually spend less money and still turn out far better educated youth. Modern day slavery?  Today we are witnessing the results of the welfare state that was created decades ago and is engulfing us into modern slavery. The government is garnering more and more control over every aspect of our lives. If we fail to stop this steady encroachment upon our freedoms we will continue to slide into modern day slavery. This time our master will be the federal government! Our left wing educators have been trying for decades to fundamentally transform" our education system.  Yet before their meddling we already had a successful working model.  Instead of teaching academics schools are trying to meddle in every phase of a childs life.  Discipline has disappeared from the classroom and the home.  Parents and churches are being relegated to the sideline. Parents fear reprisals if they discipline their children and many have become weak negotiating parents.  We have set low expectations for our students.  Our current educational methodology is primarily focused on the childs psyche and self esteem rather than high academic achievement and is failing at both.  How can one teach a child that his nation and history are degraded and expect him to feel good" about himself? Several decades of this type of education have resulted in a dumbing down of our nation with lazy disrespectful students and a dramatic increase in violence among our youth. We MUST return to our traditional old-fashion basics and teach our children independence good academic skills critical thinking and an understanding and appreciation of our free enterprise system. Then they will be well prepared for managing their lives and finances and creating income instead of relying on entitlements from the government. Only then we will see our citizens removed from the welfare rolls to become proud productive Americans working together to achieve the American Dream". It is critical for the future of our country that we:

• Produce new social studies standards that are based upon our founding principles;
• Present an unbiased factual and positive view of our great country with significant individuals and events;
• Instill pride in our youth to be Americans;
• Focus on American exceptionalism; and
• Represent our traditional American Judeo-Christian values.

Suggested Reader Actions: The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) is currently reviewing proposed standards for social studies.  At their meeting on January 13-15 2010 they will be making changes to the proposals. What can parents & citizens do? A January-June 2009 Gallup poll revealed that 43 of Texans are conservative only 16 claim to be liberal. So anyone who joins this effort is solidly in the majority in spite of the constant rants from the left. First find out who your legislator senator and especially who your (SBOE) representative is. To find your representatives and contact information copy and paste the following link (http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/) into your browser or click here.  Then enter your zip code. Next before year-end write brief respectful letters using one or more of the following talking points.

• Tell your SBOE rep and other representatives that the purpose of education is the transmission of academic knowledge and skills to the next generation rather than to make radical changes in the attitudes values and worldview of students.
• Tell your SBOE rep and other representatives that you want a view of history that is based upon our founding principles.
• Tell your SBOE rep and other representatives that you want a positive view of history including our leadership role in science medicine economics agriculture the arts technology religion and government.
• Tell your SBOE rep and other representatives that you want a focus on American exceptionalism that is the United States occupies a special niche among nations.
• Tell your SBOE rep and other representatives that you want factual unbiased balanced social studies standards that include events and individuals that are both significant and represent traditional American Judeo-Christian values.
• Tell your SBOE rep and other representatives that you want standards that teach our youth to be proud Americans and that America is a great country that has an overall positive history.
• Tell your SBOE rep and other representatives that while many ethnic groups and individuals have contributed to Americas success their relative contributions and inclusion in the standards must be evaluated according to a uniform set of qualifications.

Finally during its meeting on January 13-15 2010 the SBOE will be taking public testimony.  Anyone can sign up to make a three-minute presentation. Those who can attend should sign up to testify by either calling 512-463-9007 starting at 8 a.m. on Friday January 8th or written testimony can also be submitted as well. Instructions for how to submit either written or public testimony can be found by clikcing here. Dr. Carol Haynes earned her doctorate in Professional Education from The University of Memphis with a major in curriculum/instruction and a minor in administration/supervision with a collateral teaching area in social studies. Following the completion of undergraduate studies she taught choral music music appreciation social studies and English in the Memphis City School system.   Later she taught teacher education at The University of Memphis and history at the Community College where she also served as Chairman of the Social Sciences Department.  Haynes was recognized for her innovative teaching in social studies and language arts and appeared as a guest on TV and radio talk shows in Memphis Tennessee. She served on the curriculum committee for the Memphis City Schools Board of Education.  She served on a panel chaired by the renowned Dr. Rosabeth Kantor Moss at the University of Memphis. Dr. Haynes has also been a member of the Dallas Theater Center Guild The Womens Board of the Dallas Opera The Dallas Opera Guild The Dallas Museum of Art and the Dallas Symphony League.