First they came after evolution. They say they wanted to "teach the controversy".
Now, they are after history, and no controversy-teaching is allowed:
One way to measure the fears of people in power is by the intensity of their quest for certainty and control over knowledge.By that standard, the members of the Florida Legislature marked themselves as the folks most terrified of history in the United States when last month they took bold action to become the first state to outlaw historical interpretation in public schools. In other words, Florida has officially replaced the study of history with the imposition of dogma and effectively outlawed critical thinking.
Will there be a series of trials (Scopes, Arkansas, Dover...) about teaching history in schools over the next century? Oh, and definitely read the rest of the article - it is excellent!
Comments
There is also an opinion here and here. Or google for H.B. 7087e3 .
Posted by: oku | August 1, 2006 1:11 AM
history is one of those subjects that's so, so, negligable. first off the history that's taught in north america is from conqueror perspective, so what we get if not from the eyes of turtle island's natives.
then we get things like the mormons who seem bent on re-writing history (while their genealogy site seems cool and free, the mormons baptize every name that comes into their databanks, thus they can eventually claim north america as 'mormon').
maybe we should interview some animals and get their history...it may prove more 'accurate'.
anyways, i'm sure jeb and fellow floridians who support 'history' being re-invented are very happy about their 'victory'. oh it's a messy little world !!!
Posted by: scout | August 1, 2006 1:49 AM