The Texas State Board Of Education is about to vote on their approved curriculum and textbook content. They do this every ten years. This time, the board is set to give the OK to a right-wing revision of history. It looks like the 5 million public school kids in Texas will for the next decade learn social studies, economics and history from textbooks running heavy on Christianity, capitalism and states rights. Here are some of the fear-laden, jingoistic, and amazingly nutty changes they propose:
In discussion of the Age Of Enlightenment, Thomas Jefferson has been dropped in favor of humorless churchman John Calvin (who's about as far from enlightened as you can get).
There is no Constitutional basis for the separation of church and state, says Texas.
Kids will be taught that Joseph McCarthy's 1950's witchhunts looking for Commie infiltrators were justified.
Capitalism will be referred to "free enterprise", which has a more positive connotation, says the Board.
The Civil War was not about slavery. It was about states rights.
There will be no mention of Tejanos fighting and dying at the Alamo alongside Col. Travis, Jim Bowie and Davey Crockett.
The U.S. government is prohibited from promoting any one religion over another. Texas schoolkids won't be hearing anything about that.
American History classes will emphasize the conservative movement of the 1980's and 1990's, specifically discussing Phyllis Schlafly, Newt Gingrich's Contract With America, Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority, and the National Rifle Association.
There will be no mention of the accomplishments and significance of Ted Kennedy or Sonia Sotomayor, but Texas students will become experts on Ronnie Reagan.
Of the 15 people on the Texas Board, not one is a teacher, economist, or historian. No shit. It shows.
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