What will my children's history books say?

[Klukie]

As I was reading the recent stories about Cheney and his secrecy tactics, wall street profits amid a recession/depression, the war in Afghanistan and many others, I just kept thinking about the old cliche of history repeating itself. Some of these stories tend to reflect past history in our nation and I have to wonder if our national leaders understand the importance of an accurate recorded history. Hell, I even have to wonder if our national leaders are proficient in our recent U.S. history (let alone world history). Back when the elections were taking place, I would debate my RW father inlaw about the merits of Sarah Palin and when the issue of education would come up he would dismiss the importance of it. He felt very comfortable allowing someone who was neither well versed in the constitution or history to be elected into a position one step removed from the highest office in the land. I would always ask him how she would possibly be prepared to deal with monumental decisions without fully knowing the history of progress and setbacks that have occurred in our past and he would repeatedly dismiss the question. If as a nation, we are at a point that our history is seen as not important enough to be obtained or accurately recorded then we are most definitely doomed to not only repeat our mistakes, but compound them. Why are our leaders so reluctant to investigate an administration that is as cloudy as the previous one in order to obtain a historical truth? Without these truths, what will my children's history books say? Will we be setting them up for failure?

I am not well versed in US history (I am working on that), but I am well versed in my own personal history and I would never disregard the importance of it. It shaped who I am today. Many, many mistakes were made in my upbringing, however if I never new the details of those mistakes and the reasons for them, I may not have had the ability to avoid repeating them with my own children. I learned my lessons well....but I fear that my nation has not.

[ananda]

1. The way history is constantly being revised by social conservatives..

.. who influence textbook writing and selection,
what children will be reading and learning is truly
scary.

[rudy23]

2. We have to make sure FOX news, Karl Rove, and the neocons don't get to write their own history

We will probably be battling for the truth our whole lives. Meanwhile, these guys are planning new "truths" to foist onto us.

[Xipe Totec]

3. What my kid's history book said 10 years ago....

Someday, man will walk on the moon...

No, I am not kidding.

[Klukie]

4. Wow..

that is really messed up.

[Xipe Totec]

5. I know,

Moving up to New England, after my spouse and I worked on the space program, we were fit to be tied.

40 year old history books, still being used in public schools.

It was criminal.

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. It's a great way to avoid examining the Nixon and Reagan administrations.

But what the hell - we're at the end of history anyway, and once the good people are raptured away who cares what the books say?

[Oregone]

6. The books will have a half page blurb on these events, light on details, with nothing controversial

On this date, military forces entered and occupied.... By this time, they controlled 80% of the region. On this date, they withdrew from the conflict theater.


Most my high school history book was on the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and World War II. It had about half a page on Korea, and two pages or less on vietnam, with more pictures than text if I remember. By the time a teacher gets to modern times, you have 2 weeks of class left, no time, impatient kids, etc.