Christian Right Aims to Change History Lessons in Texas Schools

[babsbunny]

http://www.truthout.org/072309K

Wednesday 22 July 2009

by: Chris McGreal | Visit article original @ The Guardian UK

State's education board to consider adding Christianity's role in American history to curriculum.

Washington - The Christian right is making a fresh push to force religion onto the school curriculum in Texas with the state's education board about to consider recommendations that children be taught that there would be no United States if it had not been for God.

Members of a panel of experts appointed by the board to revise the state's history curriculum, who include a Christian fundamentalist preacher who says he is fighting a war for America's moral soul, want lessons to emphasise the part played by Christianity in the founding of the US and that religion is a civic virtue.

[BOSSHOG]

1. Religion is a civic virtue?

Like paying taxes? So the christian right is offering up its tax exempt status?

[bluestateguy]

2. Home schooling isn't looking so bad now?

Or secular private schooling?

Those are good options if your school board is taken over by religious wackos.

[ashling]

3. Hell, we already have football coaches "teaching" history

:grr:

[rrneck]

4. Go for it.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. they are going to do a chapter on the Salem witch trials?

That would be very educational and instructive--it would show why ministers should never be given power over courts and the like, and why we need separation of church and state.

[NAO]

6. Curious that the UK Guardian rather than, say, NYT or WP or even a local Texas newspaper? NT

[dembotoz]

16. exactly nt

[FiveGoodMen]

7. Lying for Jesus.

Wouldn't He be proud?

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Could somebody point out which one is god?

[TokenQueer]

15. Ha!

:rofl:

...and I love your sig line.

[N7255Q]

9. If they do it accurately, the 'christians' won't be pleased.

:shrug:

[BlooInBloo]

10. Take out the word "lessons" to make a better subject line.

[Taverner]

11. Will they talk about the forcible removal and "education" of Native Americans by churches?

[sakabatou]

12. I learned about the history of Christianity and other religions

in 6th grade social studies. But this seems very different.

[laststeamtrain]

13. Also see: link below

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6129020&mesg_id=6129020

[dysfunctional press]

14. are they going to start teaching about how the alamo was a fight to retain slavery?

if it weren't for the slavery issue- they would have gladly become mexican citizens.