Dan Quinn has a nice wrap-up of Friday’s debates by the Texas State Board of Education over high school American history curriculum. (Our coverage can be found here). This round of debates is now over. More to come in March.
Frankly, the way this Board operates makes David Barton and Peter Marshall look liberal. I almost want them to come back and restore sanity.
Quinn writes:
One of the most heated exchanges during Friday’s debate by Texas State Board of Education
members over new social studies curriculum standards came during discussion on a standard about women and ethnic minorities working to overcome discrimination in the past.
The proposed standard for high school U.S. history read: “Explain actions taken by people from different racial, ethnic, gender and religious groups to expand economic opportunities and political rights in American society.” Board member Don McLeroy, R-College Station, moved to strike the words “racial, ethnic, gender and religious,” arguing that they were redundant because the standard already said “various groups.”
The Texas Tribune provides an excellent recap of what happened:
“It’s not redundant to me,” retorted board member Mavis Knight (D-Dallas), who is African-American. “Because the racial and gender groups you are trying to strike overcame great obstacles to make great contributions. … This board is rewriting history, wanting to sanitize anything that might reflect negatively on our country.”
When board member Barbara Cargill (R-The Woodlands) backed McLeroy, arguing that such exploring of minority groups detracted from teaching students about “the melting pot,” Knight was momentarily speechless. “I need a moment … I need to gather myself,” she told chair Gail Lowe (R-Lampasas), who thanked her for her decorum.
“You would have us think we’re in some kind of Utopia that didn’t exist,” Knight continued, after a pause. “Look at what ‘groups’ in society do to keep other ‘groups’ from achieving.You made laws. You burned down something called ‘Black Wall Street’ because you didn’t want them to achieve. … I’m sorry. I have to stop.”
McLeroy’s amendment failed on a 7-7 tie vote.
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