I am the mother of five children. Over the past two years I have been studying what is happening in our country particularly government. This inevitably led me to a discovery of what atrocities are occurring in our public education system.
We made the decision to start home schooling our oldest child rather than send him on to 6th grade public education. We have had a FANTASTIC experience!!!
The curriculum we are using for history uses text and sources written from the time period we are studying
NOT modern interpretations of what happened back then.
Part of the curriculum is an online video class my son watches.
Two weeks ago the teacher taught a lesson about George Washington and the French and Indian War with factual historical accounts. Then he brought out six of the most popular textbooks currently being used in public school.
He then taught the class what each of those texts had to say about the lesson he had just taught ... it was pitiful!!!
Several of them did not even mention Washingtons name.
He explained how our society has distanced itself from factual history replaced it with false and degrading information and that very few youth of our day know anything about the great men of American History.
This was a powerful lesson for my son but what really drove it home was a dinner conversation one week later.
Our daughter (4th grade still in public school but not for long) started talking about what she had learned about Christopher Columbus in school.
She started out by saying ... I used to think Columbus was a good person. But after I learned more about him I dont like him any more!
We were all somewhat shocked by this statement! So I asked her to tell us what she had learned.
She began to retell a
FICTIONAL story they had read in class about a young boy who had been taken into slavery by Columbus recounting his terrible treatment and sorrow at being taken from his family and country.
At first I was watching my daughter then I shifted my gaze to my son who had recently finished studying Columbus in his home school curriculum.
I watched as his eyes grew bigger and bigger as she explained the reasons for her opinions. Several times I asked her if she was recounting a story of fact or fiction every time she answered that she knew the story was a fictional account because they did not have any factual accounts about these particular ideas.
Finally my sons eyes met my gaze and he looked at me with a mixture of disgust and disappointment.
NOT ABOUT COLUMBUS about the sorry state of our educational system!!!
It is high time we get involved and take control of our education system again!!! Otherwise anyone who has any interest in their childs education will be forced to home school or enroll in private education!
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.
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Much has written in TexasInsider recently 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.
For more helpful information or to reference previous articles & links please
click here or read
Texas Grandmother to SBOE: Maintain Americas Founding Principles.
