Tennessee Tea Party Wants Slavery Removed From School Textbooks To Make Founding Fathers Look Good

[slim 1,530]

Keep in mind we're not a first-world country anymore.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I believe we have a slight misunderstanding. I'm not disputing slavery existed or the founders had slaves or anything at all on the back end. What I'm suggesting is we don't teach kids the rest of the story on this end.

We say to them, "Your great-grandparents were slaves. Your grandparents were freed but discriminated against. Your parents weren't discriminated against but never had a fair shake. So, basically, you can expect to not be anything your whole life and you can blame it on the history of racism in this country."

Where is this lesson taught? That's what I'm trying to get some details on. I can wait a few years, of course, until my daughter has history lessons but I thought that you would be able to demonstrate that what you're saying here is factual.

[slim 1,530]

Where is this lesson taught? That's what I'm trying to get some details on. I can wait a few years, of course, until my daughter has history lessons but I thought that you would be able to demonstrate that what you're saying here is factual.

It's not taught anywhere and that's my point. If you're not going to teach kids they're free now... don't teach them about their ancestors being slaves.

[Susita 175]

Tennessee Tea Party Wants Slavery Removed From School Textbooks To Make Founding Fathers Look Good.

And here, silly me, thinking history was about the facts.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

It's not taught anywhere and that's my point.

You said this is what we teach the kids.

We say to them, "Your great-grandparents were slaves. Your grandparents were freed but discriminated against. Your parents weren't discriminated against but never had a fair shake. So, basically, you can expect to not be anything your whole life and you can blame it on the history of racism in this country."

My question is where is this taught and I ask you to substantiate this particular claim. Then you turn around and tell me that this is not taught anywhere. Would be great if you could make up your mind. If this is what we teach the kids, then that would be an issue. I dispute that that is the curriculum. Now you seem to agree. Then all that's left to be said is that if this kind of garbage isn't taught anywhere, then there's no issue.

[Danno 1,228]

No it isn't, you're just trying to score cheap points here. Is there any evidence that any of it this is true, other than the disputed tales of Ralph Abernathy?

The issue is covering up the misdeeds of this country in its founding years as a means to portray our founding fathers in a better light. The issues at hand are well documented and can be shown within historical context. I don't see what teaching kids rumors about Dr. King would accomplish. None of the claims against him have been verified..

Another red herring Danno. Issues like slavery, internment of Japanese American citizens and the trail of tears are integral parts of our history that cannot be denied. I think Santayana said it best "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it". Or is that your goal Danno?

-What type of evidence would you hope to find concerning King and sexual appetite? Video.... audio? There is a reason the benefactors of the king fortune fight so hard the release of FBI tapes, the proof you seek I suspect is found there.

-I have never said "misdeeds" should not be taught, the Founders had enough on their plate to bash them for not leading the world in the abolition of slavery... at the same time they are forming a Government is lame.

All these misdeeds (Which I don't consider this a misdeed), have designated lessons, no need to bash the Very men whose handywork brought liberty and prosperity to More Blacks than any other place in the world.

-Again, no one is saying slavery should not be in the History book... of course but there is no need to bring it up at every page of our history, especially concerning the Founders.

[Danno 1,228]

Why would the appropriate point of comparison be the least developed part of the world rather than a comparably developed part of the world? If you want to claim leadership and exceptional status, you need to compare yourself and demonstrate superiority to advanced nations not to those stuck in centuries past.

So what your saying is..... Those non-white countries can not be expected to have valued human worth.... so they are off the hook?

One of the first protests against the enslavement of Africans came from German and Dutch Quakers in Pennsylvania in 1688. One of the most significant milestones in the campaign to abolish slavery throughout the world occurred in England in 1772, with British judge Lord Mansfield, whose opinion in Somersett's Case was widely taken to have held that slavery was illegal in England.

That shows you how revolutionary was the idea of abolishing slavery... I think you folks are expecting way too much from:

-A weak disjointed assembly trying to form a government.

-Which had nor wanted any authority to impose such laws on free states.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Danno, though common at the time of our nations founding both here and abroad, your own last post indicates slavery was not without controversy even well before the Revolution.

Since it is a fact some Founding Fathers were slave owners, beyond whitewashing history, what possible reason do you have for removing said fact from our history books?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

So what your saying is..... Those non-white countries can not be expected to have valued human worth.... so they are off the hook?

No, that's not what I am saying. Where did you read that?

What I am saying is that we're maintaining that this is the greatest place on earth and yet we rather compare ourselves to the least developed countries to support that claim rather than demonstrating that we're greater and better than any of the most developed countries. Merely being better than African nations does not make this the greatest nation on earth. You're setting the bar too low, my friend. A bit more confidence in your country would be in order.

[slim 1,530]

My question is where is this taught and I ask you to substantiate this particular claim. Then you turn around and tell me that this is not taught anywhere. Would be great if you could make up your mind. If this is what we teach the kids, then that would be an issue. I dispute that that is the curriculum. Now you seem to agree. Then all that's left to be said is that if this kind of garbage isn't taught anywhere, then there's no issue.

Once again, slight misunderstanding on what I was saying you were saying I was saying.

To clear it up. That is taught everywhere. It's evidenced by the fact that we have affirmative action, special grants and programs for minorities, hate crime statutes against minorities, and an entire communities living in modern day slavery where instead of picking cotton, they simply have to reproduce and continue keeping jails full, police busy, and politicians elected.

Racist? Hardly. That is reality.

Young black kids today are taught that they're less important than other kids (and that's why they have special protections) and if they fail it's alright because they're expected to fail due to their history.

What needs to be taught is they're not special (nor is anyone else) and they have just as much of an opportunity to make it in today's society as anyone else. You won't see that in any text books though, will you?

No, that's not what I am saying. Where did you read that?

What I am saying is =

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Young black kids today are taught that they're less important than other kids (and that's why they have special protections) and if they fail it's alright because they're expected to fail due to their history.

Sorry but that's not what they're taught. At least not in school. At home, maybe, but not in the public school system. I know some young black kids that happen to attend public school and they aren't taught what you're claiming they're taught there at all. They're taught that achievement matters. And they're doing quite well. One went off to college on a full scholarship. Not because she's black but because she finished in the top 0.1% of her class. Now how did that happen if all she was taught was excuses for lack of achievement in the public school system?

[Danno 1,228]

Sorry but that's not what they're taught. At least not in school. At home, maybe, but not in the public school system. I know some young black kids that happen to attend public school and they aren't taught what you're claiming they're taught there at all. They're taught that achievement matters. And they're doing quite well. One went off to college on a full scholarship. Not because she's black but because she finished in the top 0.1% of her class. Now how did that happen if all she was taught was excuses for lack of achievement in the public school system?

Congratulations to that young lady, I am sure she will reach her goals.

Thing is.... her story is hardly representative of Black youth in General particularly black males.

Many areas have a 50% graduation rate.

Q: The young lady you mentioned..... was a Father in the home?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Congratulations to that young lady, I am sure she will reach her goals.

Thing is.... her story is hardly representative of Black youth in General particularly black males.

Many areas have a 50% graduation rate.

Q: The young lady you mentioned..... was a Father in the home?

A: Yes - and that's still the case.

I don't disagree - the stats are there and they are disturbing. The issue, however, is what these kids learn at home, not what the public education system teaches. Slim believes that the public education system causes this. And that just isn't the case. These kids lack support and direction at home. And they often find themselves in schools that do not have the resources and cannot provide the environment that encourages learning and achievement as kids out of more mainstream families do. My daughter will attend one of the best rated public schools in the county. That is because I can afford to live where I live and because I made the schools she would go to the central point in deciding where to settle down. It's all about priorities and unfortunately, too many kids in this country just don't seem to be a priority for their parents.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Mr. Big Dog

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Keep in mind we're not a first-world country anymore.

That's a trick of the light when looking out at the country from the gun slits in the sides of your bunkered log cabin.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

There is a part of the slavery story that's been very hush hush, and that's about the White slaves.