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knitter4democracy

(14,350 posts)
45. There are some issues, yes.
Wed Jan 7, 2015, 01:24 AM
Jan 2015

You admit that you are using your own personal bias in this regard, and you are not a recent graduate. Keep in mind that, in education, a source five years old or older is often considered out-of-date because the standards have changed and much has happened in just the last couple of years.

Source #1 is from 2009. The study is from ISI, a well-known right-wing group trying to prove that colleges and universities are too liberal.

Source #2 is from 2013. That is better, but then there's the issue of the article being based entirely on polling. The very first poll the author cites is 2 years old and from a biased source. Polls are amazingly easy to swing one way or another.

Source #3 is from 2011 and clearly states that the test scores haven't varied widely for years despite different groups of students taking it. Given the serious rise in test scores in other areas, this makes me question the test. Remember, too, this source is basing the entire argument on the results of one test. Normally, educators aren't okay with that sort of thing, but it's common in the media since it makes for a good story.

Source #4 is from Trinity University, not exactly an unbiased source when it comes to "pure" American history, and it's undated. The first study cited and dealt with in the essay is from 1993. The second (after discussing C.S. Lewis and "The Screwtape Letters&quot is from 1988 and is based only on 200 questionaires done by college students at two universities in Texas. That's it. That's all the research cited.

So, two of the four citations are from right-wing groups with serious biases when it comes to history (in fact, in direct opposition to the history you advocate being taught), and the other two are based on flimsy evidence.

K&R.... daleanime Jan 2015 #1
Keep 'em dumb, and pliable for exploitation. That's the 1%'ers way. blkmusclmachine Jan 2015 #2
That's another side effect of the Great Migration: it siphoned off 90% Recursion Jan 2015 #6
Very good point JustAnotherGen Jan 2015 #14
Loved that book Recursion Jan 2015 #3
Yes it is astounding. mountain grammy Jan 2015 #4
And here in Harrison, AR chervilant Jan 2015 #5
Labor History is important… Here is an interesting time line that shows us how we got here. midnight Jan 2015 #7
Too often they try to cram too much into the curriculum. There is no time to go into any liberal_at_heart Jan 2015 #8
I agree. LuvNewcastle Jan 2015 #12
Sounds like a good book. Thanks for posting. JDPriestly Jan 2015 #9
Hell, half Americans dont know who won Civil War or who USA's VP is. ErikJ Jan 2015 #10
I sincerely disagree with that assessment. knitter4democracy Jan 2015 #11
I honestly wasn't blaming teachers here.. mountain grammy Jan 2015 #13
Sorry, but you might want to re-read your post, then. knitter4democracy Jan 2015 #21
Sorry, but given the current state of our country mountain grammy Jan 2015 #24
You might want to read up on things a bit more. knitter4democracy Jan 2015 #27
No, I think the right wing profiteering agenda is the reason Americans mountain grammy Jan 2015 #33
And that is sad. knitter4democracy Jan 2015 #44
The teachers are great. It is the curriculum that isn't so great. Unfortunately teachers don't get liberal_at_heart Jan 2015 #23
Depends on the school, but yeah, that's the problem. knitter4democracy Jan 2015 #25
and now that Republicans have weakened teacher unions with Democrats being complicit in it, liberal_at_heart Jan 2015 #26
It's gone in Michigan. knitter4democracy Jan 2015 #28
I just remember my US history class in high school ...... marmar Jan 2015 #15
Amen! mountain grammy Jan 2015 #16
I remember mine: totally the opposite. knitter4democracy Jan 2015 #22
I learned about the Great Migration in high school alcibiades_mystery Jan 2015 #17
You are in the minority. mountain grammy Jan 2015 #18
What is your proof for this statement? knitter4democracy Jan 2015 #29
I'm sorry. I hope this satisfies the requirement. mountain grammy Jan 2015 #34
There are some issues, yes. knitter4democracy Jan 2015 #45
If you want to know why history that is taught is boring, read: Manifestor_of_Light Jan 2015 #19
I've read Zinn and Takaki and both books are on my shelf. mountain grammy Jan 2015 #20
AP US History teachers are way ahead of you. knitter4democracy Jan 2015 #30
We didn't have Zinn's book or any of those books when I was in high school. Manifestor_of_Light Jan 2015 #32
Me neither, but I had a wonderful history teacher in 11th grade mountain grammy Jan 2015 #35
I had a cool government teacher in the 12th grade. Manifestor_of_Light Jan 2015 #37
One of my favorite teachers was more about the approach than the specific material Posteritatis Jan 2015 #31
My 11th grade history teacher was the same.. mountain grammy Jan 2015 #36
Standard Socratic method. A favorite of mine when I teach English. knitter4democracy Jan 2015 #46
High school history and biology textbooks in the U.S.A. are mostly crap. hunter Jan 2015 #38
It is about money and making do. mountain grammy Jan 2015 #39
If that disturbs you, LWolf Jan 2015 #40
I wouldn't be surprised at all if you're right about that.. mountain grammy Jan 2015 #41
We do it LWolf Jan 2015 #47
You've actually been told that? That is horrible. liberal_at_heart Jan 2015 #42
Yes. LWolf Jan 2015 #48
Oh, I've heard that in meetings, too. knitter4democracy Jan 2015 #43
Yes. LWolf Jan 2015 #49
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