Knowledge of American History requires of several important sources with history textbooks being more valuable to schools. These textbooks have the ability to have a potentially large impact on the younger generations. Thus, censors see them as essential channels for circulating a more conservative view as Texas educators now must teach according to the new standards. Many of these new standards were changed to show a more conservative view of American History. These changes come from the many conservative board members, many of whom, are not historians or historical educators. The various occupations held by the members range from dentist to technology project manager. Many of the changes in the curriculum were based on empirical evidence
…show more content…
For instance, an article from The Washington Post states, “Texas’s social studies standards are more politicized than any other state, said a historian who reviewed state standards for the conservative-leaning Thomas B. Fordham Institute in 2011. He gave Texas’s standards a D and wrote that the board was molding the telling of the past to justify its current views” (Brown). The new Texas History textbooks fail to mention both Jim Crow and the Ku Klux Klan, they acknowledge African slaves as workers not slaves, and their dishonest about the actual cause of the Civil War. Censorship has been well known in the news regarding many large countries such as China and North Korea; it is simple to forget that censorship is an issue here is the United States as well until now. Should American History textbooks accurately interpret historical realities or be censored so students are taught a more sanitized version? Before answering, let’s review some of the current censoring. Considerations to whom this will effect and what would be the true purpose of a more sanitized version of historical facts needs to be …show more content…
It is a majority rule of the conservatives who sought to make the recent changes to censor American history. Among the conservatives, there is Don McElroy who believes, “But we are a Christian nation founded on Christian principles” (Blake). McElroy is known as a self-described Christian fundamentalist. He lives in Bryan, Texas, where he has a dentist practice and he is an outgoing member of Texas state school board of education. Mariah Blake, an editor of the Washington Monthly, had a chance to sit down with Don McElroy at his home in Bryan. This interview took place in 2010, which was right in the beginning of the textbook controversy in Texas. In the interview, he emphasized how important it was to him to evaluate history textbooks with this belief. According to McElroy, “The way I evaluate history textbooks is first I see how they cover Christianity and Israel” (Blake). This way of thinking is clear proof of why the recent textbook censorship in Texas has a more conservative stamp on American history. McElroy as well as his fellow board members have had the ability to change history. Many Texans as other Americans find these revisions to be mind-boggling. According to the article Don 't Know Much About
For instance, an article from The Washington Post states, “Texas’s social studies standards are more politicized than any other state, said a historian who reviewed state standards for the conservative-leaning Thomas B. Fordham Institute in 2011. He gave Texas’s standards a D and wrote that the board was molding the telling of the past to justify its current views” (Brown). The new Texas History textbooks fail to mention both Jim Crow and the Ku Klux Klan, they acknowledge African slaves as workers not slaves, and their dishonest about the actual cause of the Civil War. Censorship has been well known in the news regarding many large countries such as China and North Korea; it is simple to forget that censorship is an issue here is the United States as well until now. Should American History textbooks accurately interpret historical realities or be censored so students are taught a more sanitized version? Before answering, let’s review some of the current censoring. Considerations to whom this will effect and what would be the true purpose of a more sanitized version of historical facts needs to be …show more content…
It is a majority rule of the conservatives who sought to make the recent changes to censor American history. Among the conservatives, there is Don McElroy who believes, “But we are a Christian nation founded on Christian principles” (Blake). McElroy is known as a self-described Christian fundamentalist. He lives in Bryan, Texas, where he has a dentist practice and he is an outgoing member of Texas state school board of education. Mariah Blake, an editor of the Washington Monthly, had a chance to sit down with Don McElroy at his home in Bryan. This interview took place in 2010, which was right in the beginning of the textbook controversy in Texas. In the interview, he emphasized how important it was to him to evaluate history textbooks with this belief. According to McElroy, “The way I evaluate history textbooks is first I see how they cover Christianity and Israel” (Blake). This way of thinking is clear proof of why the recent textbook censorship in Texas has a more conservative stamp on American history. McElroy as well as his fellow board members have had the ability to change history. Many Texans as other Americans find these revisions to be mind-boggling. According to the article Don 't Know Much About