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Wow, looks like liberal post-colonialism is full force in schools these days:
Kolowith's students learn about the explorer's significance ? though they also come away with a more nuanced picture of Columbus than the noble discoverer often portrayed in pop culture and legend."I talk about the situation where he didn't even realize where he was," Kolowith said. "And we talked about how he was very, very mean, very bossy."
In McDonald, Pa., 30 miles southwest of Pittsburgh, fourth-grade students at Fort Cherry Elementary put Columbus on trial this year ? charging him with misrepresenting the Spanish crown and thievery. They found him guilty and sentenced him to life in prison.
The students were forced to stand in a cafeteria and not allowed to eat while other students teased and intimidated them ? apparently so they could better understand the suffering indigenous populations endured because of Columbus, Korten said.
A darker side of Columbus emerges in US classroomsImagine what the response would be if schools were to try to uncover the "bad" side of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Of course, the perspective given varies across classrooms and grades. Donna Sabis-Burns, a team leader with the U.S. Department of Education's School Support and Technology Program, surveyed teachers nationwide about the Columbus reading materials they used in class for her University of Florida dissertation. She examined 62 picture books, and found the majority were outdated and contained inaccurate ? and sometimes outright demeaning ? depictions of the native Taino population.
Like what? Oh does she mean when, after befriending the Tainos, Columbus left 50 of his men behind, and upon his return he found all 50 of his men slaughtered by the Tainos? Oh, I guess that's demeaning. We can only criticize white EuropeansThere's going to be a pro-Columbus Day protest at Brown tomorrow. I'm seriously thinking of going.
Just spent a few minutes checking a couple of texts I used to use ( one world and one US) plus one of the US books I should have pushed for last adoption. All three are pretty smearless; Chris is portrayed as having above average smarts and seafaring ability (except that he went to the grave still thinking he made Asia)… the Columbian Exchange is connected as the prize for his voyages (connecting the new and old worlds). In all not much to bag here.I agree though, that many people do bag C2. 'nother case of Monday morning quarterbacking if one were to ask me. 8)PS: At least he didn't end up like the Vivaldi Bros. ;D
Imagine what the response would be if schools were to try to uncover the "bad" side of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
It is strange that the FBI files were sealed for 50 years. Why would a peaceful minister have to have his files sealed? Why would the FBI be interested in this man? Is there something that they don't want released until all of his peers are dead?
