Texas education board strikes "democratic" in references to the form of U.S. government

[heli]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gPQ3ktQNqImWyQ23yXKoCFXWrN1QD9ED9B180

Texas ed board adopts social studies standards
By APRIL CASTRO – 50 minutes ago

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas State Board of Education has preliminarily adopted new standards that will direct teachers in social studies, history and economics for millions of students for the next decade.

In almost three days of testimony and emotional debate, the board's far-right faction wielded their power to shape lessons on the civil rights movement, the U.S. free enterprise system and hundreds of other topics. An amendment to ensure that children learn the United States was founded on the prinicple of religious freedom failed.

They also agreed to strike the word "democratic" in references to the form of U.S. government, opting instead to call it a "constitutional republic."

The board voted 11-4 Friday to adopt the standards. A final vote is expected in May.

[MineralMan]

1. Filthy Bastids! Every One!

It's time for several other large states to form a joint textbook commission. Texas has pretty much controlled textbook content for way too long a period. The new coalition would simply refuse to accept any textbooks with certain characteristics or omissions. Let the State of Freaking Texas publish its own damned textbooks.

I think California, New York, and a couple of other states would do the trick.

[kirby]

2. They are correct...

We are a Republic, not a Democracy. I don't see the issue here.

Now, some of the other points I agree are just rewriting history.

[jobycom]

5. They are not correct. That is a political statement, not an accurate definition.

We are a type of Representative Democracy that can be described as a Constitutional Republic. "Republic" means only that a nation isn't a monarchy, and that the people have some influence in the government. A Representative Democracy is one where the citizens choose their leaders, and the leaders run the government. Either term can accurately by used (and there are problems with both terms, as we are not exactly either of them).

Our Founders used the term Republic as a counter to Direct Democracy, and many have misunderstood the difference and contrasted Republic and Democracy, usually in a snide "We aren't a democracy we're a Republic" counter in debates. It's a distinction without a difference.

The Texas Board was just trying to flip off Democrats, that's all. The US can equally accurately be described as either.

[OHdem10]

8. We are a Republic. This is a sticking point with the Republicans.

This is why our Congress Critters can pass legislation and the
people may not like the legislation. They are free to use
their judgment on what is good for the country. Most do listen
to their constituents and polls; however, they are not obligated
to do this.

[HeresyLives]

10. United States govt

It is a constitutional republic and representative democracy, "in which majority rule is tempered by minority rights protected by law

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States#Government_and_elections

[jobycom]

20. There you go.

No one believes me, maybe they'll believe Wikipedia. :)

[kirby]

15. I'm not sure I agree...

We are more than a Representative Democracy. We have a Constitution that constrains us against the whim of the majority so a Constitutional Republic is the more accurate and limiting term. I am not a scholar, but it makes sense to me.

[jobycom]

19. They are describing different things.

We are a representative democracy. The people choose the representatives who govern. Our government is also a Republic in that the form of government we use is not a monarchy, therefore government is based on public consent. The Republic is chosen by Democracy. There's nothing inaccurate or even less accurate about saying we are a democracy.

The Republicans have tricked people into accepting that mantra "We are a Republic not a Democracy, and our Founders were afraid of Democracy" because they don't like democracy, and because of the party names. They try to make the name Democrat seem like a misunderstanding, like we are the party based on a mistaken historical definition. They also use that argument any time someone points out that their policies are undemocratic or elitist, or that their policies or actions violate the law. They are basically trying to say "Once you elect a Republican, they can do anything they want because we are a Republic not a Democracy."

It's not true. We are a democratic society, believing that each person has a right to representation equally before the government. The fear of our Founders, and what you allude to by "the whim of the majority," was what is called Direct Democracy, where the citizens vote on each action or law. Our Founders called that mob rule. There is good reason to fear it, as our national history towards Native Americans and African Americans and any other group we decide to classify as non-standard has shown (such as gays and lesbians). But our government doesn't completely alleviate mob rule, as the gay marriage issue demonstrates. It simply sets up a layer of laws between the mob and the minority. That's pretty much what any law is--a defense of the weaker against the stronger in any given situation. That's neither Republic or Democracy, that's just the definition of law. Even when laws protect the stronger against the weaker, the stronger believes they are the ones oppressed. The majority banning marriage equality, for instance, believes they are defending themselves against all their demons.

Our Founders had no trouble with the word Democracy. They used it frequently, as a lofty ideal. Alexis De Toqueville called his great analysis of the new United States "Democracy in America," not "Republicanism in America." We are a Democracy. Our government is a Democracy. It's also a Republic. The words are not exclusive. The Texas Board of Education, which once claimed that the goal of American History wasn't to teach kids what happened but to teach them to love America, is pushing a political agenda, not being more accurate.

[jobycom]

6. One click, two posts. Way cool.

I wish DU's system would work on my bank deposits.

[zbdent]

7. on rewriting history ...

I thought the "victors" rewrote history ... and I thought the Dems won in 2008 ...

but then, it's the Republic of Texas ...

:silly:

[MattBaggins]

9. Which is a representative democracy

We are a constitutional democratic republic

[JackintheGreen]

14. It's an issue of branding

which 'pubs are good at and dems are not.

If we are a "republic," then "Republic-cans" are reinforced with positive connotations. And conservative teachers will have the opportunity to stress that we are not strictly democratic, which will sure be stressed NOT ---> DEMOCRATic, thus reinforcing democrats with negative connotations. It is subtle, it is strictly speaking true, and it will start in 2nd and 3rd grade when kids are most susceptible to modeling behavior.

[damntexdem]

18. We are partially a democracy because generations of activists have fought to make it so.

True, we're way behind other countries in democracy; but we could become a true democracy if the American people were to fight hard enough for it in future.

[TexasObserver]

3. What was that Bush was supposed to be spreading in Iraq?

I would have sworn all the Republicans said it was DEMOCRACY.

[Jack Rabbit]

4. So when did Bush tell the truth about Iraq?

An evil wizard put a curse on the Bush administration such that no member of it could utter a true statement that contained the word "Iraq."

Actually, they were spreading imperialism. You know it and I know it. Even the neoconservatives knew it.

[mod mom]

11. NYT: Texas Approves Curriculum Revised by Conservatives

Texas Approves Curriculum Revised by Conservatives
By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.
Published: March 12, 2010


AUSTIN, Tex. — After three days of turbulent meetings, the Texas Board of Education on Friday voted to approve a social studies curriculum that will put a conservative stamp on history and economics textbooks, stressing the role of Christianity in American history and presenting Republican political philosophies in a more positive light.

The vote was 11 to 4, with 10 Republicans and one Democrat voting for the curriculum, and four Democrats voting against.

The board, whose members are elected, has influence beyond Texas because the state is one of the largest purchasers of textbooks. In the digital age, however, that influence has been diminished as technological advances have made it possible for publishers to tailor books to individual states.

In recent years, board members have been locked in an ideological battle between a bloc of conservatives who question Darwin’s theory of evolution and believe the Founding Fathers were guided by Christian principles and a handful of Democrats and moderate Republicans who have fought to preserve the teaching of Darwinism and the separation of church and state.

Since January, Republicans on the board have passed more than 160 amendments to the 120-page curriculum standards affecting history, sociology and economics courses from elementary to high school. The standards were proposed by a board of teachers.

Efforts by Hispanic board members to include more Latino figures as role models for the state’s large Hispanic population were consistently defeated, prompting one member, Mary Helen Berlanga, to storm out of a meeting late Thursday night, saying, “They can just pretend this is a white America and Hispanics don’t exist.”

“They are going overboard, they are not experts, they are not historians,” she said. “They are rewriting history, not only of Texas but of the United States and the world.”


-snip
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/education/13texas.html

[gratuitous]

12. So, they decided that by a majority vote?

Fucking democrats. They should all be horse-whipped. And I'd do it myself, if I had a horse.

[Echo In Light]

13. Again, no state does creepy like tx

[damntexdem]

16. Well, after all, they believe in a demogogic America.

[Hannah Bell]

17. why don't they just make it "fascist" & get it over with.