U.S. History scores lacking-Per WSJ

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Of course US History scores are lacking. US History isn't one of the areas emphasized by standardized testing, so many schools simply can't afford to divert resources away from the areas that are covered to history, the arts, etc. It's a huge problem with No Child Left Behind that's only going to continue with Race to the Top.
 
Hammer and Sycamore said:
Of course US History scores are lacking. US History isn't one of the areas emphasized by standardized testing, so many schools simply can't afford to divert resources away from the areas that are covered to history, the arts, etc. It's a huge problem with No Child Left Behind that's only going to continue with Race to the Top.
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Then how do you explain the level of knowledge of some 'popular' politicians / presidential candidates? Most are too old to have experienced standardized testing...
 
4Q_iu said:
Then how do you explain the level of knowledge of some 'popular' politicians / presidential candidates? Most are too old to have experienced standardized testing...
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ignorance and stupidity is all i can come up with.
 
4Q_iu said:
"Listen my children and you shall hear, of the MIDNIGHT ride of Paul Revere..."

H.W. Longfellow
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not to mention william dawes. (i don't know if he had guns and bells going off but there sure ain't no poem)

I think dawes was going to warn the british that paul revere was coming to warn them that we were coming with our arms to take away their arms and once we had all the arms and they had none we would let the beatles come over because the original title of hard days night was eight arms to hold you and we had to get those away from them too.

silly me i always thought it was midnight rider by the allman brothers
 

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Maybe because we alter history over time - who's to blame? Does the story change over time? It would seem so - the other night 60 Minutes did a story on how the company that owns the publishing rights to Huckleyberry Finn has removed the N word from the book and replaced it with the world slave. In my own estimation this is an example of how history can be altered. You have an iconic book that has many great teaching points and lessons about history that can be made and you have altered the text to attempt to "avoid" a piece of US History - be it not one our finest moments in history it still has a place and it shouldn't be altered in this matter.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7360250n
 
SycamoreStateofMind said:
Maybe because we alter history over time - who's to blame? Does the story change over time? It would seem so - the other night 60 Minutes did a story on how the company that owns the publishing rights to Huckleyberry Finn has removed the N word from the book and replaced it with the world slave. In my own estimation this is an example of how history can be altered. You have an iconic book that has many great teaching points and lessons about history that can be made and you have altered the text to attempt to "avoid" a piece of US History - be it not one our finest moments in history it still has a place and it shouldn't be altered in this matter.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7360250n
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stalin rewrote history; you cite an example of editing
 

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SycamoreStateofMind said:
Maybe because we alter history over time - who's to blame? Does the story change over time? It would seem so - the other night 60 Minutes did a story on how the company that owns the publishing rights to Huckleyberry Finn has removed the N word from the book and replaced it with the world slave. In my own estimation this is an example of how history can be altered. You have an iconic book that has many great teaching points and lessons about history that can be made and you have altered the text to attempt to "avoid" a piece of US History - be it not one our finest moments in history it still has a place and it shouldn't be altered in this matter.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7360250n
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Kinda surprising they used slave (instead of the very vogue 'enslaved person'... which I'm sure will SOON become 'person in an enslaved status...'

But as the doctor said -- you're citing an example of poor, selective editing; not a rewriting of history.

BTW -- Twain's use of the 'offending word' is the BIGGEST reason Huckleberry Finn is ANNUALLY on 'Banned Book' lists...
 
4Q_iu said:
Kinda surprising they used slave (instead of the very vogue 'enslaved person'... which I'm sure will SOON become 'person in an enslaved status...'

But as the doctor said -- you're citing an example of poor, selective editing; not a rewriting of history.

BTW -- Twain's use of the 'offending word' is the BIGGEST reason Huckleberry Finn is ANNUALLY on 'Banned Book' lists...
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Maybe poor editing but it re-writes it in the way the story is told. Thus your indirectly rewriting history...
 
SycamoreStateofMind said:
Maybe poor editing but it re-writes it in the way the story is told. Thus your indirectly rewriting history...
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no you're not. you are editing it for dogmatic or ideological reasons.

btw, did you know that the version of huck finn you have read is mot likely incomplete. the abridgement of the novel resulted from editing out what is called the raftsman's passage. and it's not a matter of a word or a page or two. you can read the entire unadulterated novel in the portable mark twain. the section is a hoot.

funny they are not changing the title of dick gregory's book or editing the word out of rap music.
 
I agree with SSOM.

What we have here is another example of "Political Correctness" attempting to reach back in history. Personally, I think this is BULLSHIT.
 

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Chief_Quabachi said:
I agree with SSOM.

What we have here is another example of "Political Correctness" attempting to reach back in history. Personally, I think this is BULLSHIT.
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actually it's censorship and an anachronism
 
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SycamoreStateofMind said:
Maybe poor editing but it re-writes it in the way the story is told. Thus your indirectly rewriting history...
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We'll just have to disagree; as it's a work of fiction, I don't see it as 'rewriting history.'

I don't agree with the change; it shouldn't occur, I'm surprised they used the word 'slave'

Recommend you go to Amazon.com or a used book store and purchase ALL of the 'pre-1990' versions of Huckleberry Finn -- those are LIKELY as close to Twain's intent.
 
"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end"

R. J. Wiedemann LtCol. USMC Ret.
 
The one thing that bothers me is that when people mistake being PC for just being polite. Just because you "don't want to be PC" doesn't mean you say whatever the hell is on your mind or use any insult you damn well please to say.
 
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