History Lesson

In his article, Bill Ames lends his support to HB 3404.  The key provision of the bill is the requirement that public schools purchase text books which adhere to the TEKS standard.  Mr. Ames contends that requiring public schools to use books which teach to the TEKS standard will correct what he feels is a clearly liberal bias in Texas education.  Further, Mr. Ames notes that it unacceptable that a majority conservative state would purchase books which push a liberal agenda.  It's important to note that Mr. Ames was part of the "expert" panel which crafted the modern TEKS standards in 2010.  It's not surprising that he would want to force school districts to use books which push his creative and unique interpretation of history.

As he personally had a hand in the new curriculum standards, I think it's worth taking a look at the perceptions of his handiwork.  The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an ideologically conservative 
education policy think tank, did grade this curriculum.  They gave it a D and found that it was a "strange fusion of conventional left-wing education theory and right-wing politics undermines content from the start."  The content seems to almost purposely muddle complex issues in a way that makes it very difficult to teach students to think critically.  This does not set up educators for success and it would be bordering on dangerous to subject students to such poor curriculum.  It would be a tragic mistake to pass HB 3404.

I'm utterly baffled at Mr. Ames citing of the following:  "Last year the blog Campus Reform asked Harvard students if the United States or ISIS is the greater threat to world peace.  The students’ answer?  The United States."  He provides no context for this answer and seems to only be implying that the simple folk at Harvard are totally out of touch with how great America is.  I feel like this highlights the danger in exclusively teaching students the concept American Exceptionalism without providing countering points of view.  Mr. Ames seems totally unaware that this concept of "American Exceptionalism" is what drove the failed foreign policy decisions which ultimately created ISIS.  If the state of Texas fails to provide students with the mental tools to think critically about such complex issues the US may very well be a greater threat to world peace than ISIS.

But what would I know, I went through AP US History in Texas in 2001.