Here, Here. Could not have said it better myself. Why can we not let the facts speak for themselves? If schools taught kids how to think instead of what to think, we would not be having this argument in the first place.Teach the kids how to think? This could be a very dangerous precedent in High School especially in the Social Sciences. Students might well find themselves in the vestibule of the house of conflicting ideaswhich could lead to chaos and arguments with parents. High school is not a democracy, but a despotism--theoretically quasi benevolent.
I am not an “academic” and this ting mystifies me more than it frightens me. The text is redolent of academic babblespeech–but a mild version so there is no need to grease the bullets yet.
I read that Jefferson was left out because he represented the “secularism” of the Enlightenment. I havenot seen the book so all I have to go on is commentary.I am sure that we all agree that there ought not to be a Liberal and a Conservative version of History.Anyway, I shall keep checking on this as it is most illuminating.
Donald Baker–OPtion 2!!!!Then he need not write anything and all those who have given us wonderful History books--but do notteach and earn lots of bucks by their writing are not professional historians? With all due respect I beseech you to reconsider your choice as I believe it to be wrong or at least not quite right.
I have a problem defining a “professional” historian.Is it someone who teaches at a University in the History Department?Is it someone who makes his living writing History books, but not teaching?Is it someone who has a Ph.D. in History, but neither teaches or writes--merely researches?Is it someone who writes historical books for money, but does not make enough to pay all the bills?Is it someone dead who perhaps wrote one seminal book (Gibbon)?Is it someone who neither writes nor teaches and has no degree at all--just reads History all the timeand knows a lot of stuff and deems it important and of interest to his friends--like the date of the battle of Rocroi? I assume he has friends.Please advise as to your opinion.