European Association of History Educators

Source: Consortiumnews; 26 May, 2010

Right-wingers running the influential Texas board that shapes how America’s school textbooks will teach history are demanding that Ronald Reagan and other modern Republicans be elevated into the pantheon of heroes, that “free market” ideology must be stressed, and that critical information about past U.S. actions must be deleted.  The purpose is to indoctrinate American children with a “patriotic” version of history, all the better to ensure future right-wing dominance of U.S. politics. However, veteran teacher Rosemarie Jackowski notes that propaganda by American school systems already has a dark legacy.

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Source: HOUSTON CHRONCLE, March 22, 2010

In regard to “New standards in history class; Conservative-backed curriculum OK'd over protests: (Page A1, March 13), the news that the social studies curriculum is being rewritten by the conservative State Board of Education demonstrates two things to me. First, that the relationship between insufficiently rigorous, biased education and religious conservatism is not just a one-way causation but truly a vicious cycle. Second, that having partisan nonexperts decide what our children learn is a disgrace to any self-respecting state. 

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Source: PRNewswire; March 16, 2010

HISTORY™ is set to launch its most ambitious, wide-ranging educational initiative in the history of the network. This unprecedented national outreach effort will speak to students about America tied to the upcoming series, AMERICA THE STORY OF US, an epic 12-hour television event covering 400 years of American history which will begin to premiere on HISTORY on Sunday, April 25 at 9pm ET. The announcement was made today by Nancy Dubuc, President & General Manager, HISTORY.

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Source: My Fox; March 15th, 2010
ATLANTA - Revising its statewide social studies curriculum is something that Georgia did in 2004. But unlike Texas, Georgia invited teachers to play a major role in how the standards were revised. One college professor remembers that it wasn't easy, but it was rewarding.
The wrangling in Texas over how social studies will be taught in public schools is a familiar theme in our history. Clifford Kuhn, a Georgia State University professor, said re-interpreting the past has been a favorite political football for decades.

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Source: The Associated Press; March 15th, 2010

The History channel says it will give a free DVD copy of its sprawling 12-hour series on American history to any school in the country that wants one. The network is launching a broad educational outreach to accompany "America The Story of Us," which premieres April 25. Before the series starts, it will mail posters, a teacher's guide and family viewing guide to 35,000 high schools and middle schools. "America The Story of Us" is the most expensive project in the network's history, although Nancy Dubuc, the president and general manager, would not say how much is being spent.

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Source: Dallas News; March 12, 2010

AUSTIN – After getting ripped by the Texas Education Agency, Fox News on Thursday sought to clarify some of its reports on the state's social studies curriculum debate. While not apologizing for the reports, Steve Doocy of the morning show Fox & Friends said the network had been "trying to make it simpler" for viewers to understand the process by reporting that the State Board of Education was reviewing new textbooks.

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Source: CNS NEWS, March 11, 2010

A new Rasmussen Poll shows that 60 percent of Americans with children in elementary schools say most school textbooks are more concerned with presenting information in a politically correct manner than in accuracy. In a national survey conducted March 6-7, 1,000 adults were asked: “Are most school textbooks more concerned about accurately providing information or about presenting information in a politically correct manner?”  
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Source: Star-Telegram, March 12th 2010

The Texas State Board of Education took back up its revision of social studies curriculum standards Thursday morning and almost right away, the issue of minority representation bubbled into a lively debate. In a process that has gained national attention, the board is making amendments to a proposal to update the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for social studies. They could take a first vote on the proposal Friday. A final vote is expected in May.

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Source: Technician; March 10th 2010

For those of you who follow the news or detest history classes, recent events regarding the instruction of history in elementary through high school may have caught your attention. And if you hated history classes, then you suddenly wish the news surrounding the reform of North Carolina’s history curriculum happened before you had to sit through those dry, boring lectures about the Federalists, Whigs and the Missouri Compromise.
It is the esteemed opinion of this columnist that the proposal, which would mandate education in history from 1877 on (or divide the curriculum into two classes, pre-1877 and post-1877), fits with the general atmosphere of the times.

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Source: My Fox, March 10th 2010

AUSTIN, TX - It's a battle of the books.  Who should be included in school history textbooks and who should be left out?  The latest battlefield is in Texas, where some noted people are being left out of the curriculum. U.S. history - what our children learn in school, depends on the history written in their textbooks.

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