There has been much written in TexasInsider recently (see article links at end below) about the social studies standards review process and how certain left-leaning educator groups overloaded the History Review Teams with their supporters creating
proposed standards that paint a negative picture of U.S. history.
Mainstream parents business & industry representatives employers and just plain citizens whose inclusion in this process is required by the Texas Education Code were all but excluded.
But parents and citizens are speaking out and the ship is slowly turning.
Today we feature a Texas grandmother who wrote the following letter to her State Board of Education (SBOE) representative.
Dear SBOE Member:
To me the most important job we can have in life is to help our children and grandchildren grow into responsible adults able to fulfill their own special destinies. As a grandmother to a six-year-old in the Texas public school system I see your work for District 12 SBOE as a key element in enabling our children to achieve these goals.
I understand that proposed revisions to the Texas SBOE curriculum standards (TEKS)
may emphasize teachings about social injustice inequality and multiculturalism at the expense of learning about Americas exceptional achievements.
I believe that children need to learn that they are Americans first and foremost. They also should be taught that every American citizen no matter what their
heritage has the opportunity to rise above past injustices in our country. Learning about different cultural heritages in depth is secondary.
Rather than dwelling on the negative we should inspire our children with what is exceptional and unique about our republic and its founding fathers.
The 5000 Year Leap by constitutional lawyer Cleon Skousen discusses the 28 principles of freedom that inspired our founding fathers as they established a form of government that made it possible to seek individual happiness and self-realization". When the constitution was being written these principles were not practiced anywhere. Nonetheless their influence would spread round the world creating the environment for the equivalent of a 5000-year leap in progress in just 200 years.
This week I read an article in Investors Business Daily written by Russian Immigrant Svetlana Kunin. She recalls her experience growing up in Russia.
Revolutionaries … made inspiring speeches about fairness equality justice" and sacrifice for the greater good".
In the end she notes that it was all just a tactic to allow party leaders"… to declare their right to determine what is good for the collective."
In the USSR they taught us in school that socialism is good and capitalism is bad. That they now teach the same in American schools I find strange."
Her final comment chilled me to my core.
Please help us restore and maintain Americas traditional values in our educational system so that our children may grow up proud of their American heritage.
Lets not burden our children with stories of past injustices unless a lesson of positive achievement is taught as well.
Lets not confuse our children with political messages about multicultural identity.
Instead lets teach them about the best examples of achievement through hard work and struggle not through some government guarantee or entitlement.
Lets not encourage our children to be victims. Instead lets enable them to strive for their own self-fulfillment by teaching about those leaders in all fields who helped to create the 5000-year-leap" of technology and scientific progress we enjoy in our lives today.
Lets empower each child to make his or her own unique contributions as a responsible American citizen.
Sincerely
Texas grandmother
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Citizens who wish add their voice can get guidance from any one of the 3-Part series of articles by History Review Team panel member Bill Ames below.
Part I of III: The Lefts War on U.S. History
Part II of III: The Lefts War on U.S. History
If Gangsta Rap is In is American Exceptionalism Out?
Part III of III: The Lefts War on U.S. History
Democrat State Senator attacks SBOE Chairwoman Expert Reviewer calls for ideological balance
Yet another response came recently from a Garland TX mother of three. She took it upon herself to provide written testimony to last weeks SBOEs November 18th meeting.
Her testimony can be read by clicking on this article: Texas Mother to SBOE: History Taught Should be Based on Truth Founding Principles
