Right Wing CO School Board Member: The US “Voluntarily Ended Slavery”
The new conservative cause is attacking history courses because they don’t teach enough “American exceptionalism,” and focus instead on liberal left wing progressive stuff like facts and truth. The latest example is taking place in Colorado right now, where the state Board of Education is under siege by idiotic demagogues like businesswoman Pam Mazanec.
Mazanec, who was elected to represent Colorado’s 4th Congressional district on the board, jumped into a discussion about the AP History course framework Saturday on a Facebook page that describes itself as “a place where teachers and parents are encouraged to speak freely about their issues, questions, and concerns in the Douglas County School District.” The Colorado Independent flagged her comment on Thursday.
Mazanec’s first posts in the thread raised the possibility that the AP History course framework may have been conceived by people with an “agenda,” prompting an AP English teacher to respond by explaining that experienced AP teachers compile the courses’ exams.
She then wrote that her concern for the course “is an overly negative view of our history and many of our historical figures (if mentioned)” and cited history professors with “impressive credentials” who told her that the AP History curriculum is designed to “downplay our noble history.”
She used slavery to illustrate the point:
As an example, I note our slavery history. Yes, we practiced slavery. But we also ended it voluntarily, at great sacrifice, while the practice continues in many countries still today! Shouldn’t our students be provided that viewpoint? This is part of the argument that America is exceptional. Does our APUSH Framework support or denigrate that position?
Yes, remember that voluntary Civil War that killed 750,000 men in the North and South? Good thing it wasn’t compulsory. American exceptionalism!