Florida Bans History
If you have any doubts about the fact that learning to think critically constitutes a threat to the ruling elites, check out the latest bit of legislation signed into law by our president's brother. Critical thinking is under attack in the classrooms of Florida thanks to legislation that requires history be taught as "knowable, teachable, and testable."
"The fundamental fallacy of the law is in the underlying assumption that “factual” and “constructed” are mutually exclusive in the study of history. There certainly are many facts about history that are widely, and sometimes even unanimously, agreed upon. But how we arrange those facts into a narrative to describe and explain history is clearly a construction, an interpretation. That’s the task of historians -- to assess factual assertions about the past, weave them together in a coherent narrative, and construct an explanation of how and why things happened."
Another link that helps explain the folly of this law:
Several problems with this law: One, it entrenches what Freire called the "banking system of education" in which students are seen as receptacles of facts. Facts are deposited into students by teachers. There is no critical reflection, and students do not actively participate in constructing their own knowledge. Instead, they are only required to memorize facts by rote and spit them out on a test.
Two, it makes the teaching of history almost impossible, reducing it to a set of facts without narrative. Problem is, people think in narrative. We need stories to make sense of facts. Without this interpretive structure, history means nothing.
Three, it doesn't allow for diverse perspectives on history. Do you think history might be different depending on who you ask? Of course. Your perspective determines how you view the world. Potentially, this law could stop any perspective on history that runs counter to the dominate, "Great Men" view of history that I discussed in an earlier post about Howard Zinn.
Four, Why are we so obsessed with testing? Reducing things to mere facts that can be spit out on tests is not education. It is dehumanizing and dangerous. We are creating a generation of automatons.
Five: What business do legislators have in the classroom? Are they historians? Are they trained to teach? Why don't they see the wisdom in leaving the teaching of history to professionals? Why do they feel the need to butt-in?
I think I know the answer to that question, and it disturbs me.
"The fundamental fallacy of the law is in the underlying assumption that “factual” and “constructed” are mutually exclusive in the study of history. There certainly are many facts about history that are widely, and sometimes even unanimously, agreed upon. But how we arrange those facts into a narrative to describe and explain history is clearly a construction, an interpretation. That’s the task of historians -- to assess factual assertions about the past, weave them together in a coherent narrative, and construct an explanation of how and why things happened."
Another link that helps explain the folly of this law:
Several problems with this law: One, it entrenches what Freire called the "banking system of education" in which students are seen as receptacles of facts. Facts are deposited into students by teachers. There is no critical reflection, and students do not actively participate in constructing their own knowledge. Instead, they are only required to memorize facts by rote and spit them out on a test.
Two, it makes the teaching of history almost impossible, reducing it to a set of facts without narrative. Problem is, people think in narrative. We need stories to make sense of facts. Without this interpretive structure, history means nothing.
Three, it doesn't allow for diverse perspectives on history. Do you think history might be different depending on who you ask? Of course. Your perspective determines how you view the world. Potentially, this law could stop any perspective on history that runs counter to the dominate, "Great Men" view of history that I discussed in an earlier post about Howard Zinn.
Four, Why are we so obsessed with testing? Reducing things to mere facts that can be spit out on tests is not education. It is dehumanizing and dangerous. We are creating a generation of automatons.
Five: What business do legislators have in the classroom? Are they historians? Are they trained to teach? Why don't they see the wisdom in leaving the teaching of history to professionals? Why do they feel the need to butt-in?
I think I know the answer to that question, and it disturbs me.
posted by Jason M. Wester at 6:30 AM
2 Comments:
Wow! Where to begin, first it does not surprise me that it was a Bush who is trying to put this into play. The less educated trying to avoid looking as uneducated as they actually are...???? The same Bush who is Governor of Florida, the same state that could not count votes right and the reason Bush is in office now...??? No surprise that he would stand with much to gain by restricting history and perspective in the classroom.
This is still America correct, or is it? Is this quickly becomming a dictatorship, where the government desides what we think, what we learn, what we say, how long until its what we do, what religion we practise, what clothing we are wearing, what time we are to be in our homes...
The Bush ways of thinking is very adolescent to me, so something as completely foolish and onesided as this does not surprise me, I sincerely hope that the people of Florida are able to think far enough ahead to make sure that this doesnt go into affect.
How can we learn from our history if we dont know what it is. When you hear stories of the civil rights movement you are able to make your own educated decision because you are given many different sides to the same story.
Showing only one side to any story is like running a daycare and three kids are fighting but you ask an outsider what happened and expect to get the entire story...it wont happen, the perspective will not be the same. I want to have the different perspectives, that is what makes history so interesting, and relevant...you can make your own calls, its not based on just one side. I guess the Bushs are scared that the new history books will tell about how Bush was elected but not really...went to war because of terrorism...or did he...and about how there were all types of weapons of mass distruction, but there really were none...
Seems mighty convienent and just another Bush administration cover up to me. Thats my stand.
Another step back for mankind made by the Bush family I see. Leyna hit the nail dead on the head. America is becoming a communist dictatorship a little more each day. However, I think this is only a move by the Bush's to hide their incompetence and I doubt the other states will follow with this. Mr. Wester said one day that anyone who can critically think is dangerous. I thought he meant that metaphorically, but these people must realistically pose a significant threat to the fat cat elites in office.
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