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Wow, don't know how many of you saw this, but the current Virginia history book approved by the state board of education for use in the 4th grade in Virginia has a passage that states: “Thousands of Southern blacks fought in the Confederate ranks, including two black battalions under the command of Stonewall Jackson.”Obviously, not true. Thousands of Southern blacks were used in the Confederate army to labor in non-combatant roles (slaves in the army) and several freed blacks and slaves accompanied many Southern officers into battle, but that is a far cry from having "two battalions" under Stonewall Jackson. Th author of the textbook, Joy Masoff, "said she added the claim about black Confederate soldiers as "a little something extra" after doing some Internet research.Here's one of the articles from the Washington Post on it: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/21/AR2010102104172.html?nav=hcmoduletmvOkay, so there are alot of ways this discussion could go....1. Shouldn't history books be written by, uh, historians?2. While the state department of education is responsible for approving textbooks, shouldn't the editors also be held responsible for vetting the legitimacy of hte books they produce?3. No, she didn't use Wikipedia as a source (at least she didn't list it as one) but she did cite a web post by the "Sons of Confederate Veterans" - shouldn't there be a minimum level of scholarship required for the production of school texts?4. The Internet is a great resource for scholarly research - but there has to be some rigor applied, just as there is for printed materials. Does this damage the use of Internet sources for legitimate scholarly research?5. Inaccuracies and biases concerning the American Civil War in school books is nothing new - and neither are distortions in other literature concerning the war - so is this really anything new?What do you think?
....Okay, so there are alot of ways this discussion could go....
Not much different in other states I'll bet... the following take is based on over 15 years teaching in CA.
1. Shouldn't history books be written by, uh, historians?
Yes but that gets in the way of prushing whatever the current feel good or we've got to be ashamed issue. Most historians seek the facts and try to avoid bias. Someone with a liberal studies or general studies major... not so much.
2. While the state department of education is responsible for approving textbooks, shouldn't the editors also be held responsible for vetting the legitimacy of hte books they produce?
In a 'round about way; they appoint a committee (they are political appointees themselves) to examine and approve several texts in each subject area for each grade level... many times they will take input from academic sources (professional organizations and college educators, etc.) but by that time the publishers have the books and are just waiting for orders. several years back I (thru a professional geography assoc.) sent my input which was summarily ignored since I was a high school teacher in a one-horse Nor-Call town.Then the school districts can pick from those choices. IME, at the HS level the teachers was fairly free to pich which book he / she thought best to accomplish the goals (try for agrrement w/in dept). Elem and middle usually a committee @ grade level (district wide) makes the call... often in bigger districts this happens at HS too. [this can muck things up if people w/o majors in anything are involved]In CA the big deal is conforming to the standards... (hint effed up books generally, see resp to point 1)... if not on the list from the state, forget it. Books not aligned with the standards can be used as supplimentary material under certain circumstances but likely, at the expense of the teacher... tight economic times the schools won't pony up for anything that isn't on the"good list".
3. No, she didn't use Wikipedia as a source (at least she didn't list it as one) but she did cite a web post by the "Sons of Confederate Veterans" - shouldn't there be a minimum level of scholarship required for the production of school texts?
Yes there should although things like Wikipedial can be used by a person to find "direction"... granting that anything found needs checked. Any web source cited should be for "extension" not primary or secondary source material IMHO. [That said check this one out http://www.37thtexas.org/html/BlkHist.html%5D
4. The Internet is a great resource for scholarly research - but there has to be some rigor applied, just as there is for printed materials. Does this damage the use of Internet sources for legitimate scholarly research?
Often; just as using Worldbook was frowned on years ago but Britannica was okay. Depends on who makes the call, which sources you use, and how carefully you cross-check. Even good sources will bite us occassionally.
5. Inaccuracies and biases concerning the American Civil War in school books is nothing new - and neither are distortions in other literature concerning the war - so is this really anything new?
In a word: no... other things to look for; are all the author from the same basic background (schools), if so, think academic incest, there will be but one mindset among them all. Look for the smoking gun; majors in liberal studies, any minority studies dept., or schools that you've never heard of, or can't find out anything about. Not to say that solid work cannot be done under those circumsances... even the blind sow finds an acorn once and awhile... but it don't happen often.
What do you think?
There you have it...fwiw. Hate to sound negative but this was my world for 17 years.
I think you've discovered what we all pretty much already knew, that our public education system is nothing more than a propaganda venue for the government.
I think you've discovered what we all pretty much already knew, that our public education system is nothing more than a propaganda venue for the government.
And a cash-cow for publishers... >:(
I think you've discovered what we all pretty much already knew, that our public education system is nothing more than a propaganda venue for the government.
And a cash-cow for publishers... >:(
More the latter than the former as long as there are teachers willing to teach... mark me Retired-- Extremely Dangerous.
When I taught, I generally ignored the textbooks. Most One for 11TH GRADE U.S. HISTORY in 1967 — later discontinued for 8th grade reading levels — had a great question:Hamilton admired Julius Caesar, Jefferson John Locke. What does this say about the two men? I believe most lower division college students today could not handle that question.I was able to get great college level texts for my AP European History classes -- not on the approved lists.
I would like to know also. For history class it's one thing but I think for biology, specifically evolution/creationism is where schools become powder kegs. Better to encourage critical thinking before getting students into certain subjects I would think
Aren't local book lists approved by local school boards based on guidance from the state?
That's basically how it works in Virginia. The state board approves a list of texts and local schools boards can select from the list. There are teachers assigned to selection committees and they're usually paid a couple of hundred dollars for their participation - whether or not they do more than look at the covers or titles of the books I don't know. I would imagine that there are certain incentives provided for selecting certain books.Where I live in Northern Virginia, the book in question was pulled from the schools within a week of this breaking. Knowing how things work, I doubt seriously that anyone looked at the book in question before it was purchased and put in the classrooms - and I doubt that many looked more than a week ahead of the lesson plan then. In my own experience, when my son was in the 5th grade up here we had a bit of a "to do" with his teacher who taught that the carpet baggers were instrumental in getting the South back on its feet after the Civil War, providing many valuable services in reconstruction. ???
Aren't local book lists approved by local school boards based on guidance from the state?
That's basically how it works in Virginia. The state board approves a list of texts and local schools boards can select from the list. There are teachers assigned to selection committees and they're usually paid a couple of hundred dollars for their participation - whether or not they do more than look at the covers or titles of the books I don't know. I would imagine that there are certain incentives provided for selecting certain books.
CA too, as I posted previously... but I didn't get any extra pay >:( but the district wanted to buy all (or most from one publisher to get a better "deal"; follow the $, eh?
Where I live in Northern Virginia, the book in question was pulled from the schools within a week of this breaking. Knowing how things work, I doubt seriously that anyone looked at the book in question before it was purchased and put in the classrooms - and I doubt that many looked more than a week ahead of the lesson plan then. In my own experience, when my son was in the 5th grade up here we had a bit of a "to do" with his teacher who taught that the carpet baggers were instrumental in getting the South back on its feet after the Civil War, providing many valuable services in reconstruction. ???
Quite similar in CA... I taught them that folks like Hillary Clinton, Bobby Kennedy, and Richard Nixon, that move into a state to gain elective office are also carpetbaggers.
Wally, where do you teach in California? I hope it is a good gig.I taught at Los Gatos, 1959-61. Great school. 4-year high school at the time, 1300 students, school average IQ 108, avered 9 national merit finalists, great faculty and great unique principal -- All-American end at St. Marys with an M.A. in Literature from Brother Leo. He required whenever possible that his faculty had life experience. Head of Social studies had served in the FBI, language teachers were of their native lands, head of Grils' PE had danced ith Martha graham, and so on. I left it to seek fame and fortune in Hollywood. I also taught at Fairfax in Hollywood 1967-87 and witnessed a decline from 85% going on to college to 75% of those attending as 10th graders graduating three years later.I went through the San Francisco public school systerm -- Sutro, Frederic Burke, and Cabillo elementaries (we moved often during the Great Depression), Presidio Jr. High, and the great all academic Lowell High School. Because I was Social Studies Chairman at Fairfax for 15 years, I always selected the most challenging texts available, but had only one choice when it came to texts for remedial and ESL students whom the school in its wisdom planted in the same classrooms. It is not only the textbooks that are a problem -- I had to deal with non-History majors for the required U.S. History courses, the oxymoronic Current History, and other History electives. I always dreaded having to accept the PE Major coach who had a general Social Studies minor.
There might be a PM for you on this subject… I might have hit the wrong button though. too long to redo.Generally I liked the job... I agree with you and hope things get back to the kind of educational system we went through.
I can see the states need standardized texts so I have no problem with them narrowing the selection down to a small number. However, I would hope History professors (who have peer reviewed the text books) and knowledgeable history teachers at the secondary level have the most input on the selections. Bureaucrats in the state education departments shouldn't have much say over content. They can have input on costs and publishing contracts though.
I can see the states need standardized texts so I have no problem with them narrowing the selection down to a small number. However, I would hope History professors (who have peer reviewed the text books) and knowledgeable history teachers at the secondary level have the most input on the selections. Bureaucrats in the state education departments shouldn't have much say over content. They can have input on costs and publishing contracts though.
Generally the books aren't reviewed that well by college professors... unless they are contributors (IMHO) and then become part of the problem... biased. Knowledgeable secondary history teachers are going to be ignored, by and large, simily because they will decry the pap that is being foisted off on the states. The B'crats are going to do whatever promotes the agenda of their IC's and those folks are usually appointed to do the bidding of whoever is in the statehouse. Again I say follow the $, but watch for the PC agenda too.
