The textbook issue that our class dealt with in the Socratic circle was not only interesting to me, but also profound. Unfortunately, I don’t really think that this problem is fixable. In the discussion concerning the article I read, which addressed how a conservative board in Texas changed the curriculum of textbooks in order to reflect more Christian values and Republican doctrine, person after person was addressing the issue of bias and whether the board was actually evening the influences of the left and the right in education.
However, whether or not the influences are even now after they supposedly were made to be even, is questionable. Now, the left believes that things have been tipped in favor of the right. Basically, no matter which side acquires changes to favor them, it will never be equal. For if there are concessions made to the left, the right will say that these changes are unfair and will protest them and if there are concessions made to the right, then the left will be up at arms. Essentially, there is no way to make both parties happy because life is not fair. Life is not a bundle of rainbows or a sack of lollipops. Life is a never ending struggle between disagreeing ideals.
The saddest part of this entire right vs. left argument about the textbooks is that no one appears to consider what is best for the children and their education. Education is for the enrichment of the children. Children should learn what is best for them and what will help them grow into wise adults who are equipped with skills that will lead to be successful citizens. In the article; however, the only consideration is what political doctrine the children should be brainwashed with. It’s disgusting that there is so little consideration for the actual purpose of the textbooks and absolutely no consideration for what is best for the children. The only consideration made is whether the curriculum distributed will advance a particular political agenda.
Blair this is so immensely entertaining! I love your use of diction such as "bundle of rainbows" and” sack of lollipops". I believe you just completely embodied the feeling that was expressed in our Socratic circle. I praise you for noticing that this council was not attempting to better educate the children but only indoctrinate them with the correct political beliefs. I like how you discussed that this issue is most likely not fixable because of the impossibility of determining fairness. I agree with you that instead of arguing about how to better manipulate the minds of our kids we should find the best way to teach them. The issue is as you pointed out that political agendas seem to come before the betterment of the education of the children. Which is absolutely ridiculous it’s a history book for gosh sakes not a poster to promote republican views.
ReplyDeleteBlairsome I love your output on life, I completely agree that connotatively it is not "...bundle of rainbows..." Nevertheless I too did find your claim on the topic quite intriguing. Your statement about the left versus right debate overshadows the concern for the children is sad but entirely true. The dispute is not even over textbooks but how to “enhance political agenda” and better a tool to manipulate kids to not make them better rounded citizens but supporters of a political party for its future gain. In all there is no way to make both parties happy and understand your stance on the inability to settle the issue, however Cassandra’s idea to portray both sides in the textbook to let the children decide appears plausible or step in the right direction or left. I too agree with your account on the damage done with the attempt to “brainwash” the future generation. The disagreement almost acts as a cover up for the endeavor to manipulate the reader. Blair you did a fantastic job evaluating the Socratic circle as well as the controversial issue of the textbook.
ReplyDelete