13:59 you do realize that teachers don't choose the curriculum,, right?

The rhetoric around the innocent friendliness between Native Americans and Pilgrims was such hogwash. So was the argument that the Civil War was fought for "economic" reasons.

I don't understand what's with the dismissive comments, rolling eye emojis, and the like. Do you people really support revisionist history being taught to our nation's children? Do you really think it's no big deal?

Anonymous wrote:Relax. They'll have the rest of their lives to turn into bitter liberals.

Relax. They'll have the rest of their lives to turn into bitter liberals.

So you read the story and then have a conversation with your child about history, memory, and accuracy.

If your kid isn't ready for that conversation, then stick with the cherry tree story.

Anonymous wrote:The one that bothers me is that Rosa Parks sat down because she was old and tired. Actually she was young, and part of an organized campaign of civil disobedience.

We learned this story as if Parks was a brave lone actor. She was definitely brave and a complete hero for what she did, which was amazing and vital to civil rights, but I'm not sure she deserves to be on currency before someone like Harriet Tubman. Or even Ruby Bridges.

Anonymous wrote:I'm pretty old--and I always was taught that Columbus did not understand that he had "discovered" a new world. It was always presented with irony that he didn't even realize what he had done. Didn't you learn it that way?

That's how I learned it as well.
He was the first person to successfully lead ships from Europe (not counting Iceland) to the Western Hemisphere. That took a lot of courage and self determination to attempt a new route to India, and convince the Queen to finance his trip.

I'm pretty old--and I always was taught that Columbus did not understand that he had "discovered" a new world. It was always presented with irony that he didn't even realize what he had done. Didn't you learn it that way?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No matter what Christopher Columbus did, it was his exploration which opened up the New World. Sure, it would have happened anyway, but this is when it really started.

Fine. Great explorer, terrible person. Why only mention the first fact?

Was he a great explorer? Didn't he die thinking he had gone to India? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9VMY8X9rU8

Anonymous wrote:No matter what Christopher Columbus did, it was his exploration which opened up the New World. Sure, it would have happened anyway, but this is when it really started.

Fine. Great explorer, terrible person. Why only mention the first fact?

No matter what Christopher Columbus did, it was his exploration which opened up the New World. Sure, it would have happened anyway, but this is when it really started.

Trust me. If you child goes to public school, they will learn very little in the way of actual content their first few years.

Anonymous wrote:I don't mind the whole George Washington/Betsy Ross mythology, as those are harmless folk tales, but the celebration of Columbus Day in early elementary bothers me a lot. Christopher Columbus was a genocidal slave-taking child-raping SOB, and I don't think we should have a holiday celebrating him any more than we'd have a holiday celebrating Hitler or Pol Pot.

I'm the PP who was mad about the way Rosa Parks is taught. The Columbus thing would also bother me a lot. I haven't seen it yet, but I'll be keeping my eye out.

It makes me nuts to see myths taught as historical fact to kids. I wanted to throw up when my kid brought home his Columbus lessons with Columbus being a hero and looking all cute and nice. The whole Thanksgiving story is also ridiculous and untrue and just the reiteration of old government propaganda. I think teachers are finally over teaching "the first Christmas," thanks to separation of church and state, but even a few years ago I remember seeing some worksheets about it. To me, it just suggests that elementary teachers are largely ignorant people who can't do a simple Google search to find out what they are teaching is a bunch of BS. I don't think it will ruin anyone's worldview, but I do think it's wrong to teach myth and propaganda as historical fact.

I don't mind the whole George Washington/Betsy Ross mythology, as those are harmless folk tales, but the celebration of Columbus Day in early elementary bothers me a lot. Christopher Columbus was a genocidal slave-taking child-raping SOB, and I don't think we should have a holiday celebrating him any more than we'd have a holiday celebrating Hitler or Pol Pot.