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Teachers unions: politics over kids
I think I'll be a teacher. That way, I can spread my partisan agenda with no qualms from the teachers unions
-Matt Hittle
Posted at 08:02AM Oct 02, 2008 by College Republicans in Education | Comments[0]
Teenagers clueless about history, literature
Teenagers have no clue about history or literature these days, a new study says.
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Among 1,200 students surveyed:
•43% knew the Civil War was fought between 1850 and 1900.
•52% could identify the theme of 1984.
•51% knew that the controversy surrounding Sen. Joseph McCarthy focused on communism.
In all, students earned a C in history and an F in literature, though the survey suggests students do well on topics schools cover. For instance, 88% knew the bombing of Pearl Harbor led the USA into World War II, and 97% could identify Martin Luther King Jr. as author of the "I Have a Dream" speech.
Fewer (77%) knew Uncle Tom's Cabin helped end slavery a century earlier.
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I hate to politicize this, but the fact is, the influence of liberal legislators and liberal teachers unions have aided in the ignorance of teenagers. Of course, Martin Luther King is important, as are other civil rights-related topics. However, the pendulum has swung so far that, many times, civil rights and other minority issues are some of the only parts of American history that are highlighted in many classrooms.
More emphasis needs to be placed on race-neutral historical topics. The Civil War wasn't fought solely due to slavery, it was fought over the rights of states, of which slavery was a part. Rather than spending a week discussing Japanese internment camps during World War II, spend a day on it and the rest of the week discussing battles or the treatment of American prisoners held by the Japanese. There are so many topics from which to choose!
The bottom line is that this study shows a very urgent issue. Throwing money at the problem won't solve it. We need to reduce government involvement in schools, as well as reduce the influence of the teachers unions. Then we can get on the road to a better education system.
-Matt Hittle
Posted at 12:52PM Feb 26, 2008 by College Republicans in Education | Comments[3]
