You Can't Make This Stuff Up!

Hi Everyone,

Grades kindergarten to high school are extremely important for the education of our children. This is when they learn so much about our world and how we got to this point in time. All subjects taught are obviously important, including arts and physical education. But one of the subjects taught has a special place that needs to be monitored for accuracy.

The subject I am blogging about is history. What's my concern over the teaching of history? As far as I am concerned, history lessons must be based on facts and just the facts on what had previously happened. If history facts are intentionally omitted, overlooked or even changed, that changes what the kids learn about specific events. Changing historical facts will change the course of history, to millions of school kids (who don't know the difference).

So how and can this be possible? Well, if you live in Texas, it seems to be surprisingly simple. Just have the history textbooks changed. Wait, what? Some authority can just make changes to history books and have the new version(s) taught as accurate and correct. This is so wrong on every level. But what facts are the Texas education officials changing? The officials first created the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. That group has rewritten history and just last week it was approved by the Texas Board of Education. Now you might be thinking that this is just one state changing history. Unfortunately, Texas is so large that publishers commonly market the books made for Texas to other states, according to Josh Roseman, of the National Center for Science Education.

Here are just a few historical facts that Texas changed and these textbooks will be sold in other states:

- The Ten Commandments had an influence on the writing of the U.S. Constitution and that Moses was a democratic leader who influenced the founding fathers. No such historical record exists to support any of that!

- All international terrorism is linked to Islamist fundamentalists. Again nothing supports that!

- Slavery was not a key factor in the Civil War. What, are you kidding me?

What planet does this group of people live on? Oh right they live in Texas and they are trying to change history to support their bible belt beliefs and not the facts as history must be taught! Unfortunately, as I said before, these and other changes in history textbooks were approved late last week. Unbelievable!!! It is apparent that the Texas Board of Education totally lacks any common sense what so ever to do the right thing and not rewrite history. Those who ignore "real" history are bound to repeat it. Will Texas ever learn? Maybe they should teach that the Earth is flat, as the church used to teach until science proved that theory wrong.

I really hope that other states will reject these "new" history textbooks and have the changes removed. I fear that other bible states will follow Texas and teach the "new" history. Something is really screwed up in Texas. No one should ever be allowed to change historical facts for any reason even if it is based on one's religious beliefs.

Til next week.

Peter