Texas Social Studies 'Experts' Fail

Texas Social Studies ‘Experts’ Fail

US NewsOctober 2009 • Views: 2,051

Two of the far right religious fanatics appointed to the Texas social studies curriculum review board by their fellow creationist fanatics are David Barton (of the theocratic Wallbuilders group) and Rev. Peter Marshall (who operates Peter Marshall Ministries in Massachusetts). The Texas Freedom Network has a look at the incredible ignorance of these two “experts” — ignorance that they’re trying to foist off on the schoolchildren of Texas: Grading the Social Studies Experts: ‘Fail’.

We told you Monday about Barton’s tenuous grasp of civil rights history — his latest review confused basic facts of the well-known story of Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat on the bus in segregated Montgomery, Alabama. So we decided to take a closer look at Barton’s review of the first draft of new social studies standards. In just two pages — pages 3 and 4 — from his 87-page review, we identified nearly a dozen instances of either questionable, misleading or outright inaccurate information. Some errors reveal Barton’s poor research skills — not surprising since he’s an amateur historian without any formal academic study or training in the field. Other errors reveal just plain sloppiness — something that would earn low grades for students in a typical social studies classrooms.

- Barton says John Roy Lynch was “the first black to preside over a political convention (20,000 delegates in Chicago.)” Actually, Lynch was the “temporary chairman” of the Republican National Convention in Chicago in 1884. But according to the convention’s official proceedings, there were only 820 delegates at the convention (1,600, including alternates) in a Chicago convention hall with a seating capacity of only 9,500 people. According to Wikipedia, there were only 6,000 spectators [Reeves, Thomas C. (1975). Gentleman Boss. NY, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. pp. 375, according to Wikipedia].

- Barton describes the war against the Barbary Powers as “the longest war in American history — a 32-year war, and the first declared war following American independence.” But actually there were two wars: 1801-1805 and 1815-16. Congress did not declare war in the first Barbary War. The first congressional declaration of war was the War of 1812 against Great Britain. Congress declared war on Algiers, one of the Barbary Powers, at the end of the War of 1812.

It goes on, and on, and on. And notice as you read this appallingly long list of distortions and outright falsehoods, how many of them are intended to delegitimize the historical contributions of African Americans.

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48 comments

Fat Bastard Vegetarian Mon, Oct 12, 2009 8:51:44am

Teh crazy and teh stupid.

sattv4u2 Mon, Oct 12, 2009 8:55:39am

re: #1 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Teh crazy and teh stupid.

Alex, what is Me and FVB in the same room!
//

Honorary Yooper Mon, Oct 12, 2009 8:55:49am

re: #1 Fat Bastard Vegetarian

Teh crazy and teh stupid.

And both in the extreme. However, without people like us on school boards, this kind of crap gets through the filters to our children.

S'latch Mon, Oct 12, 2009 8:57:00am

Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it incorrectly.

Walter L. Newton Mon, Oct 12, 2009 8:59:38am

As much as I can imagine that Barton has a slim grasp on the subjects and topics he is reviewing, I would question how much The Texas Freedom Network is using Wiki as their source of rebuttal facts?

And as an extension of this thought, how much do they rely on Wiki for "fisking" in other essays that the publish?

Other than my thought above, this just adds fuel for my fire that I question academics who believe in "mystical thinking" such as a belief in a G-d, and question how much it colors their positions?

reloadingisnotahobby Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:00:24am

Drastic measure for being unhappy with your
hair cut...IMHO!
/

ohpleaseno Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:01:24am

For those of you that don't trust Wikipedia, if these texts/curriculums are your alternative, I'll stick with Wikipedia.

Holidays are Family Fun Time Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:02:14am

Hey all!

ssdd!

z_nihilist Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:02:40am

The sad thing is few, if any, people in Texas are actually paying attention to this. Props to the TFN for their hard work and due diligence that should have been done by the people who appointed these "experts" to the board in the first place.

fish Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:03:38am

This is one of the most disturbing trends in schools accross the nation. History and Social Studies books are often either flat out incorrect or written with a tilt to one political agenda or another. I don't care what the agenda is keep it out of my children's text books. As Joe Friday used to say: "Just the Facts"

lone_wolf_in_illinois Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:03:45am

I think that I said it the other day...

People can easily understand what it means to balance out a checkbook, what National Defense and the defense of our allies like Israel, cutting out the waste in government and many other noble Republican values mean. I just can't understand how a dinosaur and a man chased down the same chicken, killed it and broke bread together. These guys are losing me entirely.

Charles Johnson Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:03:54am

Notice as you read this appallingly long list of distortions and outright falsehoods, how many of them are intended to delegitimize historical African Americans.

bloodnok Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:06:57am

- In the Grade 1 social studies class, Rev. Marshall wants students to learn that...

Who carez! Akademmik eelitists!

Holidays are Family Fun Time Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:06:58am

I can't read the entire article. I am dismayed enough at the state of education. I can't handle the anymore truth.

ha! - sort of

reloadingisnotahobby Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:07:59am

Here are few African Americans that contributed greatly to our Nation! all Republicans?? Can't be!
...To mention a 'few'!

[Link: www1.law.nyu.edu...]

watching you tiny alien kittens are Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:08:33am

Ready, Fire, Aim...oops.

Seems to be a recurring theme amongst the So-Cons doesn't it? Ridicule and derision is entirely appropriate, unfortunately it isn't just the participants that get smeared it is the entire GOP. We desperately need some leadership in this party, even if only so that they can point and laugh too. At least it would distance the party from the loons that have appropriated the GOP's name in the public's perception.

Sharmuta Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:09:36am

Barton’s review also includes suggestions that expose his desire to turn history class into Sunday school class. For example, in the Grade 5 standards, Barton suggests adding:

“identify and analyze the causes and effects of events prior to and during the American Revolution including the French and Indian War, George Washington’s emergence as a nationally recognized figure following the providential preservation of his life during the Battle of Monongahela, and the Boston Tea Party”

The “providential preservation” of George Washington’s life? There is nothing wrong with people believing that the nation’s first president was saved in battle by God’s direct intervention. On the other hand, that claim is a matter of faith, not historical record. What our children learn in their public school classrooms should be based on facts and sound scholarship, not religious faith.

I have to agree. This sort of reasoning is dangerous to allow into the public school curriculum because it's a slippery slope. Considering many of us have wondered when the Discovery Institute's bill will lead to teaching Holocaust denial, you have to wonder where Barton's providential influences will turn up next.

Also- it actually leads to the same sorts of theological questions Intelligent Design leads to. If God is active and shapes history by saving one figure (Washington) then why didn't He stop hitler? I don't think it's the role of a history teacher to bring children to the point of questions their faith because God let the Holocaust happen, or turn to anti-Semitic reasoning to cope with the conundrum raised by this horrible set of "standards".

History must be learned properly, or we're dooming future generations to repeat it.

lone_wolf_in_illinois Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:10:41am

re: #14 ggt

What about the revisionist crap that Gov. Quinn signed in over the weekend? That should get your blood broiling.

MandyManners Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:11:52am

In the same U.S. history course, Rev. Marshall suggests that students learn about significant female entrepreneurs in America, including “Mary Fields” of Mrs. Fields Cookies. That would likely come as a surprise to Debbi Fields, who founded Mrs. Fields Cookies in Palo Alto, California, in 1977.

No cookie for Peter.

Honorary Yooper Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:12:21am

re: #18 lone_wolf_in_illinois

What about the revisionist crap that Gov. Quinn signed in over the weekend? That should get your blood broiling.

Somehow I missed that. What'd he sign this time?

MandyManners Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:14:18am

I wonder what these two would do to a history curriculum.

reloadingisnotahobby Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:17:01am

re: #17 Sharmuta
Washington was "Preserved" many times!
At the Brandywine a British Riflemen had him is his sights
but would not shoot an officer in the back!
Later to find the officer was Washington!

lone_wolf_in_illinois Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:17:23am

re: #20 Honorary Yooper

SB1557

Requiring IL schools to teach that the deportation of illegal immigrants during the Great Depression was "illegal". In fact, there were only about 2 mill that were deported and it was authorized by then President Hoover (thus making it legal) to make jobs for American's. Not that I am advocating for this to happen again (I don't think that it would work or do any good with the state that our welfare system is in now), but that kind of revisionist history should be in an Orwellian book, not a text book.

Equable Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:19:16am

During one of my speaking group's debates, I got into a rather heated discourse with someone over Martin Luther King. His argument was that he was a womanizing fraud and mine was that his personal life didn't mitigate his accomplishments wholesale. Sometimes I find myself swayed over someone's personal demons in contrast to their actions and do find some people to be hypocritical but it did not make their efforts any less paramount. In my estimation that is what counts the most - how one's bravery affects people positively.

The debate was apropos to the topic: "The Man or the Movement".

Sharmuta Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:20:33am

I also think our Founders were a generation of very extraordinary men. But it wasn't Providence who blesses us. It was the Cosmos- they all had Uranus in Aquarius. Uranus' influence lends a touch of genius, you see. I think it's the only possibly explanation as to why we had such a collection of brilliant men to found this country.

Therefore, it's clear that we need to teach astrology in science and history class. Without the lessons in science, the children will not be able to properly understand the role and influences the stars had in shaping the characters and destinies of all historical figures. How will our children be able to get good paying jobs if they don't know the importance of Jupiter in the 1st House?! They'll be damned to reincarnation if we allow this disregard for proper education to continue to fester in the bosom of America! Teach the controversy!

Honorary Yooper Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:21:04am

re: #23 lone_wolf_in_illinois

Moronic. How is deporting illegal immigrants an illegal act? First Charles shows us the lunacy on the right, and then we have this bit of lunacy on the left.

Walter L. Newton Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:21:42am

From the article..

"Barton suggests students should learn about “Andrew Callioux (a black officer who led black regiments in Civil War and died a celebrated hero during the War).” The correct spelling of his name was Andre Cailloux."

Me thinks that the Texas Freedom Network is using Wiki TOO much for certain "facts." Wiki and one obscure web site is the only places that have the spelling as "Cailloux."

Al the other sources have it spelt the same as it is spelt in Barton,s review... "Callioux."

The TFN article seems to make some really good points, and I agree with their general assessment of Barton, but please, they need to be a little more careful, especially when they are trying to correct what they are calling historical facts. This only further muddies the already murky water.

Equable Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:21:44am

re: #25 Sharmuta

Can we please keep Uranus out of this?

BARACK THE VOTE Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:21:44am

re: #17 Sharmuta

I have to agree. This sort of reasoning is dangerous to allow into the public school curriculum because it's a slippery slope.
(snip)

Also- it actually leads to the same sorts of theological questions Intelligent Design leads to. If God is active and shapes history by saving one figure (Washington) then why didn't He stop hitler?

Bingo, Sharm-Wow. The notion of an interventionist God who providentially intervenes, sometimes, to 'save' or preserve certain individuals or nations, leads inevitably to the conclusion that He could have chosen to intervene in other circumstances, but chose not to.

This always leads to the notion that those who were 'saved' were saved because they were special-- and conversely, that those who were not saved did not deserve to be saved.* Highly dangerous notions and ones which have been used in the past in many awful ways.

*Before anyone freaks on me, I am aware that Calvinism is an exception-- but they are the exception that proves the rule.

Douchecanoe and Ryan Too Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:22:37am

re: #25 Sharmuta

I love you. I'd explain that astrologically, but the public education system let me down and I was never properly instructed in reading my star charts.

debutaunt Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:23:48am

re: #26 Honorary Yooper

Moronic. How is deporting illegal immigrants an illegal act? First Charles shows us the lunacy on the right, and then we have this bit of lunacy on the left.

New math. Two illegals make one legal.

Charles Johnson Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:24:29am

re: #27 Walter L. Newton

Googling 'Andre Cailloux' brings up many references to him with that spelling, including this book:

[Link: www.amazon.com...]

Walter L. Newton Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:26:23am

re: #32 Charles

Googling 'Andre Cailloux' brings up many references to him with that spelling, including this book:

[Link: www.amazon.com...]

Seems to be a lot of confusion on that, I see your points, and Google brings up a lot the other way...

[Link: www.google.com...]

Walter L. Newton Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:28:23am

re: #33 Walter L. Newton

Seems to be a lot of confusion on that, I see your points, and Google brings up a lot the other way...

[Link: www.google.com...]

And I see the difference, in my search and yours. I used "Andrew" instead of "Andre."

Charles Johnson Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:30:14am

re: #34 Walter L. Newton

And I see the difference, in my search and yours. I used "Andrew" instead of "Andre."

'Andre' is the spelling used by Texas Freedom Network, and the historical references agree.

lone_wolf_in_illinois Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:35:59am

From SB1557 signed by Gov. Quinn of IL over the weekend (bold words and words that are stricken are my corrections):

(105 ILCS 5/27‑21) (from Ch. 122, par. 27‑21)
Sec. 27‑21. History of United States. History of the United States shall be taught in all public schools and in all other educational institutions in this State supported or maintained, in whole or in part, by public funds. The teaching of history shall have as one of its objectives the imparting to pupils of a comprehensive idea of our democratic form of government and the principles for which our government stands as regards to other nations, including the studying of the place of our government in world‑wide movements and the leaders thereof, with particular stress upon the basic principles and ideals of our representative form of government. The teaching of history shall include a study of the role and contributions of African Americans and other ethnic groups including but not restricted to Polish, Lithuanian, German, Hungarian, Irish, Bohemian, Russian, Albanian, Italian, Czech, Slovak, French, Scots, Hispanics, Asian Americans, etc., in the history of this country and this State. To reinforce the study of the role and contributions of Hispanics, such curriculum shall include the study of the events related to the forceful removal and illegal deportation of Mexican‑American U.S. citizens during the Great Depression. The teaching of history also shall include a study of the role of labor unions and their interaction with government in ~~achieving~~ eliminating the goals of a ~~mixed~~ free enterprise system. No pupils shall be graduated from the eighth grade of any public school unless he has received such instruction in the history of the United States and gives evidence of having a comprehensive knowledge thereof.
(Source: P.A. 96‑629, eff. 1‑1‑10.)

Brilliant.
///

BARACK THE VOTE Mon, Oct 12, 2009 9:54:11am

re: #27 Walter L. Newton

Walter, you were also mentioning the variation between Cailloux and Callioux as well -- such problems with transliteration especially for French/Cajun/Creole names were not uncommon at the time. The Texas Freedom Network is the source to go with here; they are very reliable-- and the historical references agree in any case, as Charles mentions.

TFN has been an excellent resource for the ongoing creationist battles in TX over textbooks, as well as for documenting Gov Perry's secessionist comments-- they're a very good site.

The Curmudgeon Mon, Oct 12, 2009 10:02:37am

Barbara Forrest's website has some good information on David Barton: Governor Jindal’s Friends in Low Places.

acacia Mon, Oct 12, 2009 10:04:54am

Where are the points delegitimizing the contributions of African Americans? He's obviously wrong on several points but they are points that easily can be corrected. I doubt there is any curriculum that doesn't go through this vetting process.

BARACK THE VOTE Mon, Oct 12, 2009 10:12:03am

re: #39 acacia

Where are the points delegitimizing the contributions of African Americans? He's obviously wrong on several points but they are points that easily can be corrected. I doubt there is any curriculum that doesn't go through this vetting process.

The points delegitimising African-American contributions are widespread and pervasive. The real point is that most curricula do not need to go through a wholesale "let's remove all the subtle and not so subtle racism" vetting process.

Charles Johnson Mon, Oct 12, 2009 10:13:12am

re: #39 acacia

Where are the points delegitimizing the contributions of African Americans?

They're right in front of you.

Sharmuta Mon, Oct 12, 2009 10:19:02am

Lizards should check out this previous LGF article for more on Barton:

David Barton heads the fundamentalist organization Wallbuilders, and is opposed to the separation of church and state. In 1991, he twice attended and spoke at meetings of front groups for the white supremacist “Christian Identity” movement, then claimed he was unaware he was speaking to neo-Nazis.

Yashmak Mon, Oct 12, 2009 11:10:27am

What business does

an amateur historian without any formal academic study or training in the field

have reviewing a social studies curriculum in the first freakin' place?

Seriously messed up.

RogueOne Mon, Oct 12, 2009 11:34:58am

re: #40 iceweasel

I don't see it, maybe I'm dense but you're going to have to point it out. According to the TFN article he actually inflates the roles of John Lynch, Henry Garnet, and Joseph Rainey. The author makes some really stupid mistakes you wouldn't expect from someone peddling a history text but I don't see how mispelling someones middle name "deligitimizes" their historical context.

acacia Mon, Oct 12, 2009 12:01:07pm

re: #44 RogueOne

I agree with you. I must be dense too but I don't see the delegitimization. Maybe it's in other portions of the review that the linked article didn't quote but based on the article, there are mistakes but not an effort to delegitimize the role of African Americans. Tell me where I'm wrong.

bj Mon, Oct 12, 2009 2:00:58pm

Please tell me this is not 1938 all over again.

Our Precious Bodily Fluids Mon, Oct 12, 2009 4:40:51pm

I don't claim to have all the facts, but it's starting to look for all the world like Perry is actively stonewalling an investigation into whether Texas executed an innocent person in 2004.

[Link: www.dallasnews.com...]

The Texas Forensic Science Commission hired its own independent expert, noted scientist Craig Beyler, who declared in a report last month that no credible evidence of arson existed.
Two days before Beyler was to present his report to the commission, Perry removed the chairman, Austin defense attorney Sam Bassett, and three others, despite letters from four commission members asking that their colleagues be reappointed.

Perry named two replacements at the time, including Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley, whom he named chairman. Perry said that the members' terms had expired and that he was following normal procedures in naming highly qualified replacements.

A little something about John Bradley that makes you go 'hmm'...
[Link: www.chron.com...]

John Bradley, the Williamson County district attorney whom Gov. Rick Perry recently appointed to head the Texas Forensic Science Commission, is fighting to keep a man convicted of murdering his wife — mostly on circumstantial evidence — from getting a DNA test of a bloody bandanna found about 100 feet from the couple's home near Round Rock.

[Link: www.dallasnews.com...]

Summaries of gubernatorial reviews of execution cases previously were released as public records in Texas, most recently under former Gov. George W. Bush. Yet Perry's office has taken the position that any documents showing his own review and staff discussion of the Willingham case are not public — a claim the Chronicle disputes.
Without those records, the question of how much — or how little — Perry considered the newly obtained evidence in his decision to proceed with execution will remain forever a state secret.

more:
[Link: blogs.wsj.com...]
[Link: www.time.com...]

If Perry weren't: 1) infuriatingly smug at all times; and 2) apparently hostile to the specific branch of science that made DNA testing a useful investigation tool, I might be less quick to give him the big hairy eyeball.

RogueOne Tue, Oct 13, 2009 3:29:21am

re: #47 negativ

Good post. I've been reading about this on another blog.

Spy Mode Auto

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