Moses Wrote the Constitution (and Other Bedtime Stories from the Texas SBOE)

[AthenaAwakened]

The problem began when the SBOE evicted Enlightenment thinkers from the World History standards and substituted a list that included Moses, Aquinas, Calvin, and Blackstone. Figures from that grab-bag list also made their way into the requirements for United States history and government. Never mind that Aquinas and Calvin were theologians, or that Blackstone believed all societies should require some form of absolute, unchallengeable sovereign power. The real issue turned out to be Moses.

The Texas State Board of Education wanted nothing to do with professors.
Careful analyst by Justine Esta Ellis (a scholar who was not part of the TFN group) finds the strategy of starting with Moses is aimed at presenting the United States as a unique “redeemer nation,” predestined among all others to act out God’s will. Arch-conservative David Barton, who has no historian’s credentials but who nonetheless has had a huge impact on TEKS, maintains that verse after verse from the Bible is quoted “verbatim” in the Constitution. Checking Scripture demonstrates quickly that this is just not so. The language and the ideas do not match. Any professor of history teaches history majors not to make that kind of mistake.

But the State Board of Education wanted nothing to do with professors. More than a dozen from Texas colleges and universities volunteered to take part in reviewing texts this past summer. Almost all were turned down.

One of those historians, my colleague and former Southern Methodist University department chair Kathleen Wellman, testified at the SBOE public hearing this month. She told the SBOE that the effect of the TEKS requirement to find biblical origins for the Constitution would be to make Moses the “first American.” Some historians give that honor to Benjamin Franklin. Whoever might merit it, Moses definitely does not qualify.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/09/22/in-texas-textbooks-moses-is-a-founding-father.html

We all know the influence of the State of Texas has on the textbooks used in classrooms all across the nation. Is this the new standard for teaching history across the country?

 

[AthenaAwakened]

And then of course there is Colorado

ARVADA, Colo. — A new conservative school board majority here in the Denver suburbs recently proposed a curriculum-review committee to promote patriotism, respect for authority and free enterprise and to guard against educational materials that “encourage or condone civil disorder.” In response, hundreds of students, teachers and parents gave the board their own lesson in civil disobedience.

On Tuesday, hundreds of students from high schools across the Jefferson County school district, the second largest in Colorado, streamed out of school and along busy thoroughfares, waving signs and championing the value of learning about the fractious and tumultuous chapters of American history.

“It’s gotten bad,” said Griffin Guttormsson, a junior at Arvada High School who wants to become a teacher and spent the school day soliciting honks from passing cars. “The school board is insane. You can’t erase our history. It’s not patriotic. It’s stupid.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/u...ti-protest-curriculum.html?smid=tw-share&_r=1

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Moses represents a character to a story that never happened. Whether an actual Moses, of which his character may be based on, existed is completely up for debate.

The most absurd part of this is that the bible doesn't teach Democracy! It teaches obedience.

 

[Keith&Co.]

to promote patriotism, respect for authority and free enterprise and to guard against educational materials that “encourage or condone civil disorder.”

Then we'd have stayed British, we'd toast the Queen, most of our profit would be sent 'home' to England, and 'tea party' would be something you did with your pinkie finger extended.

 

[AthenaAwakened]

And a lowly child shall lead them

From the NYT article

“It’s gotten bad,” said Griffin Guttormsson, a junior at Arvada High School who wants to become a teacher and spent the school day soliciting honks from passing cars. “The school board is insane. You can’t erase our history. It’s not patriotic. It’s stupid.”

 

[Keith&Co.]

The most absurd part of this is that the bible doesn't teach Democracy! It teaches obedience.

Which IS what most school boards actually want...

 

[SLD]

Both the Texas and Colorado issue are a direct result of a long campaign by Christian fascists to engage in stealth candidates. They don't say anything about their views during the election cycle. They are coached not to. But once in, their true colors are revealed. This has been going on for decades, and school boards are a prime target for these groups. The problem is that these groups have extensive funding, extensive networks, and are no serious organized opposition. This is exactly what happened in Kansas a few years ago, resulting in them throwing out evolution from their schools. The same happened in Dover Pennsylvania. It doesn't matter that many of the communities are actually full of progressives. They are stealth candidates who don't reveal their colors until they are finally elected. Absent a massive organization, well funded, we will unlikely see much headway against these fucktards. The only way is to organize local groups and statewide groups to fight for science education, and to make a difference. Here in Alabama a few years ago there was a controversy over a proposed anti-evolution sticker. Alabama Citizens for Science Education formed quickly and lobbied several board members and legislators. We actually succeeded in getting the sticker toned down, but not eliminated. Many on the board were concerned about the image that this created for Alabama. They didn't want to make Alabama look like a bunch of uneducated rubes. (don't get me started on the reality of that!) But that's a major weapon that people have to fight this kind of shit. They don't want their communities to become a laughing stock. It really did scare some board members after what happened in Kansas.

SLD

 

[Shadowy Man]

The same Moses as this?

27 Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

The same Moses as this?

27 Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’” 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

Don't kill the messenger dude.

 

[bilby]

to promote patriotism, respect for authority and free enterprise and to guard against educational materials that “encourage or condone civil disorder.”

Then we'd have stayed British, we'd toast the Queen, most of our profit would be sent 'home' to England, and 'tea party' would be something you did with your pinkie finger extended.

We stayed British*; we don't, however toast our Queen - at least, no-one I hang out with does - nor do we send money 'home' to England (although many Australians over 50 still refer to England as 'home', even though they haven't been there for several decades). Tea is still consumed here in large quantities, but a party requires beer.

It seems that your real problem here is too much democracy; by electing people to posts that other countries fill with appointees, you open yourselves up to the lunatic fringe - there are more elected positions than there are people of moderate views who wnat to fill them. Serving on a school board is dull and time-consuming, when the board is sane and simply reviews curricula and textbooks for inclusion. Only the rabid natters want these positions, so they can push their crazy on everybody's kids.

A state civil servant who suggests something unconstitutional or unlawful can simply be fired and replaced. An elected board member is harder to shift, particularly if a sizable chunk of voters support him - and only the nutters care to vote for such lowly positions, so 'the voters' are not representative of 'the people'. Either you need mandatory voting for such positions; or you need to make them employees rather than elected 'representatives'

*We did devolve legislative powers to our own parliament in Canberra, but new laws are still subject to 'royal consent', granted by the Governor General who represents the Queen due to the logistical difficulties presented by her being on the other side of the planet. We have had a democratically elected Prime Minister sacked by the Governor General within my lifetime (November 11, 1974).

 

[Frikki]

And a lowly child shall lead them

From the NYT article

“It’s gotten bad,” said Griffin Guttormsson, a junior at Arvada High School who wants to become a teacher and spent the school day soliciting honks from passing cars. “The school board is insane. You can’t erase our history. It’s not patriotic. It’s stupid.”

Hah Guttornsson is an Icelandic name! Makes me proud that one of my cousins is fighting the good fight.

 

[Jokodo]

*We did devolve legislative powers to our own parliament in Canberra, but new laws are still subject to 'royal consent', granted by the Governor General who represents the Queen due to the logistical difficulties presented by her being on the other side of the planet. We have had a democratically elected Prime Minister sacked by the Governor General within my lifetime (November 11, 1974).

Which logistical difficulties? The first intercontinental telegraph line connecting Asutralia with the rest of the world precedes the establishment of the office of Governor-General by several decades.

 

[Keith&Co.]

A state civil servant who suggests something unconstitutional or unlawful can simply be fired and replaced.

We have that model in places, too. Same problem, though. The elected official with the power kicks out anyone sane and props up their own dream team.

 

[bilby]

*We did devolve legislative powers to our own parliament in Canberra, but new laws are still subject to 'royal consent', granted by the Governor General who represents the Queen due to the logistical difficulties presented by her being on the other side of the planet. We have had a democratically elected Prime Minister sacked by the Governor General within my lifetime (November 11, 1974).

Which logistical difficulties? The first intercontinental telegraph line connecting Asutralia with the rest of the world precedes the establishment of the office of Governor-General by several decades.

Yeah, we had Governors before there were Governors General. But nobody wants to wake HM the Q in the middle of the night because it is 5pm in Canberra and we need a new law signed in to effect.