Morality is not determined by the church you attend nor the faith you embrace. It is determined by the quality of your character and the positive impact you have on those you meet along your journey
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Jon Stewart has a little something to say about conservatives in Texas choosing the nation's school textbooks.
Well, now, hell boys! It don't make no difference if your kid don't get no good high school education! What's that got to do with anything? Long as your his football team makes it to state, all that other school stuff ain't important!
I received my first teaching degree in the mid-1970's. It was fact then that Texas chose textbooks. The members of the committee are all political appointees, and generally very conservative. Sadly, quite a few of them over the years have been so personal-issue oriented that the selections of texts better serve as Christian Fundamentalist home-school curriculum.
This is embarrassing for us Texans. I think they should do away with textbooks; just a waste of time and money, except for the publishers and the authors. Believe me, these few people influencing this decision do not represent us a whole. I hope every state boycotts the purchase of these books.
Anon at 7:14: It's embarrassing for the entire country. We don't need their damned theocratic ignoring of FACTS and inserting their reactionary ideas and posturing, and inserting their "heroes" instead of seeing reality and people who actually worked to make this country land on the side of equality and justice. What they are doing is nothing but simple-minded revisionism.
If we can't progress as a country in treating everyone as a deserving human being, no matter who they are, rather than less than ourselves, for whatever reason or excuse, then this country is doomed.
There can be no slaves where there are no masters.
how can texas buy more textbooks than california? do small states buy their books from texas distributors at a reduced rate? maybe no taxes or something? is there a collective book buying scenario that explains why texas of all places would dominate school texbook sales?
With the advent of online books and Kindle, paper text books may be a thing of the past faster than you think. School boards in other states will be able to tell publishers what THEY want and not have to settle for the crap Texas wants the rest of the country's children to learn by. It is a lot easier to change a few lines of text in an online book than it is to republish a book that isn't backwards and suited more the fundie home school setting.
@ Enough -- Cali is the only textbook market bigger than Texas. Sadly, we iz BROKE and won't be spending a great deal on public education any time soon :(
As a Texan, I am appalled by the actions of our State Board of Education. For a great read on this, go to http://juanitajean.com/ and read the first comment on her top story. The commenter (Mickey) has a great idea: try to get the other 49 states to join us who are totally against what this board is trying to do. Her (his?) suggestion is that they tell the publishers of textbooks that they will not buy any materials that incorporate the omissions and misstatements demanded by these board members.
Texans will also have a 30 day period, once the document on these textbook revisions is posted on the Texas Education Agency's website, to comment on it. The document is supposed to be posted in mid-April and I am trying to rally everyone I can to comment on this piece of garbage.
And Enoughwiththetrainwreck, Texas has a 22 million dollar budget for textbooks. That makes us the largest purchaser in the country.
The really sad part about all of this is that they want to take Thomas Jefferson out of the history books completely, probably because he was a Deist and these are rightwing Christianistas. And a couple of these board members homeschool their children. Yet they are making decisions for people whose children attend public schools.
This action is literally about turning the clock back, all in the name of ideology. They are rejecting everything that does not conform with their reactionary views, and there needs to be a widespread, collective to thwart their nonsense.
Psst...in the title, the word should be spelled "textbooks."
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna watch right after I put the sheets in the dryer and make myself a good cup of tea. (I hate housework!)
Thanks sunnyjane.
ReplyDeleteMy defense for the first post of the day is always that my coffee has not kicked in yet.
I understand perfectly, Gryphen! I've been up since three a.m. drinking tea (I don't do coffee much anymore) so I'm all kicked in and ready to go!
ReplyDeleteThank Gawd for Jon Stewart! Truly, the most trusted name in news.
ReplyDeleteI'm very happy to see the mainstream media is talking about this textbook massacre and pointing out the reality that it affects the entire nation.
Love the spiffy new format! Was disheartened to see a hateful ad against my wonderful Gov. Ted Strickland though.
ReplyDeletePeace
Ohiovoter
Well, now, hell boys! It don't make no difference if your kid don't get no good high school education! What's that got to do with anything? Long as your his football team makes it to state, all that other school stuff ain't important!
ReplyDeleteI received my first teaching degree in the mid-1970's. It was fact then that Texas chose textbooks. The members of the committee are all political appointees, and generally very conservative. Sadly, quite a few of them over the years have been so personal-issue oriented that the selections of texts better serve as Christian Fundamentalist home-school curriculum.
ReplyDeleteThis is embarrassing for us Texans. I think they should do away with textbooks; just a waste of time and money, except for the publishers and the authors. Believe me, these few people influencing this decision do not represent us a whole. I hope every state boycotts the purchase of these books.
ReplyDeleteAnon at 7:14: It's embarrassing for the entire country. We don't need their damned theocratic ignoring of FACTS and inserting their reactionary ideas and posturing, and inserting their "heroes" instead of seeing reality and people who actually worked to make this country land on the side of equality and justice. What they are doing is nothing but simple-minded revisionism.
ReplyDeleteIf we can't progress as a country in treating everyone as a deserving human being, no matter who they are, rather than less than ourselves, for whatever reason or excuse, then this country is doomed.
There can be no slaves where there are no masters.
Older_Wiser
how can texas buy more textbooks than california? do small states buy their books from texas distributors at a reduced rate? maybe no taxes or something? is there a collective book buying scenario that explains why texas of all places would dominate school texbook sales?
ReplyDeleteWith the advent of online books and Kindle, paper text books may be a thing of the past faster than you think. School boards in other states will be able to tell publishers what THEY want and not have to settle for the crap Texas wants the rest of the country's children to learn by. It is a lot easier to change a few lines of text in an online book than it is to republish a book that isn't backwards and suited more the fundie home school setting.
ReplyDelete@ Enough -- Cali is the only textbook market bigger than Texas. Sadly, we iz BROKE and won't be spending a great deal on public education any time soon :(
ReplyDeleteAs a Texan, I am appalled by the actions of our State Board of Education. For a great read on this, go to http://juanitajean.com/ and read the first comment on her top story. The commenter (Mickey) has a great idea: try to get the other 49 states to join us who are totally against what this board is trying to do. Her (his?) suggestion is that they tell the publishers of textbooks that they will not buy any materials that incorporate the omissions and misstatements demanded by these board members.
ReplyDeleteTexans will also have a 30 day period, once the document on these textbook revisions is posted on the Texas Education Agency's website, to comment on it. The document is supposed to be posted in mid-April and I am trying to rally everyone I can to comment on this piece of garbage.
And Enoughwiththetrainwreck, Texas has a 22 million dollar budget for textbooks. That makes us the largest purchaser in the country.
The really sad part about all of this is that they want to take Thomas Jefferson out of the history books completely, probably because he was a Deist and these are rightwing Christianistas. And a couple of these board members homeschool their children. Yet they are making decisions for people whose children attend public schools.
This action is literally about turning the clock back, all in the name of ideology. They are rejecting everything that does not conform with their reactionary views, and there needs to be a widespread, collective to thwart their nonsense.
ReplyDelete