Glenn Beck and David Barton went on a rant last week about CSCOPE – a social studies program which is in most Texas schools. I watched part of it and if I didn’t know better, I would have been worried about communists coming to my doorstep in the form of CSCOPE curriculum writers.
At any rate, Barton had big slides of CSCOPE materials (some of it with DRAFT written on it) and illustrations of what had been removed and added by the comrades at CSCOPE. Apparently, the changes that Barton implied that CSCOPE had made and children were learning had not been included in the actual Texas curriculum. So says Barton ally Donna Garner.
At the end of David Barton’s presentation on the Glenn Beck Show, Barton clarified that the examples he presented are not in our new Social Studies TEKS. I wish he had made this clear at the beginning of his presentation because I am afraid some viewers were left with the impression that Texas has retained those Type #2 elements in its standards. We have not.
Even though I disagree with some of Garner’s concerns over the curriculum, I understand why she wanted to clarify things. Numerous tweets warned of CSCOPE based on Barton’s presentation on Beck. There really wasn’t much news in what Barton presented but they played it up like the wolf was at the door.
Regarding CSCOPE, I feel sure there is another side to the story. One consequence of Barton’s poor history is that even people who might agree with some of what he says are compelled to doubt it until it can be checked out. For instance, I am watchful when it comes to what is taught in school and have questioned how social studies and English is taught in schools where my children have attended. However, given Barton’s track record, I won’t believe a word until I check it out myself.
UPDATE: Must have been a slow news day at Beck’s place, because the CSCOPE people have already addressed the legislature’s concerns. For more on CSCOPE from their point of view, see their website.
I got through about half of the new TEKS standards one afternoon and liked it very much. It indeed shows what was stricken out and what replaced it.
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=3643
The left-wing Texas Freedom Network’s breathless reporting during the debates was mostly all anyone heard about it. The right wing proposed a bunch of stupid stuff that wasn’t approved, the lefties had their own multi-culti bent, but in the end I liked the shift of emphasis from the previous curriculum from sociology to history and good citizenship.
Mileage will vary but if you look at the link and the actual changes that made it through the process, you see why the TFN and the NYT etc., after fanning up quite a bit of hysteria, let the whole thing quietly die.
As far as I can gather, C-SCOPE is the edu establishment trying to get around the new standards to re-establish its own left-wing hegemony over Texas education. if stuff like this is true
http://counterjihadreport.com/tag/cscope/
That the edu-establishment has already put its own left-wing stamp back on the curriculum in 80%$ of Texas schools, Barton indeed has something righteous to cry about.
However, given Barton’s track record, I won’t believe a word until I check it out myself..
Agreed. But he’s often birddogging something real, although he exaggerates, he does not fabricate from whole cloth. In this case, if he’s wrong about smelling a skunk, it doesn’t mean he’s not correctly smelling a rat.
I would doubt that the curriculum is being made “in secret.” I would bet instead that, due to the revelations about his qualifications as a “historian”, Barton has simply been removed from the process. So now he is trying to re-insert himself by stirring up a panic.
I got through about half of the new TEKS standards one afternoon and liked it very much. It indeed shows what was stricken out and what replaced it.
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=3643
The left-wing Texas Freedom Network’s breathless reporting during the debates was mostly all anyone heard about it. The right wing proposed a bunch of stupid stuff that wasn’t approved, the lefties had their own multi-culti bent, but in the end I liked the shift of emphasis from the previous curriculum from sociology to history and good citizenship.
Mileage will vary but if you look at the link and the actual changes that made it through the process, you see why the TFN and the NYT etc., after fanning up quite a bit of hysteria, let the whole thing quietly die.
As far as I can gather, C-SCOPE is the edu establishment trying to get around the new standards to re-establish its own left-wing hegemony over Texas education. if stuff like this is true
http://counterjihadreport.com/tag/cscope/
That the edu-establishment has already put its own left-wing stamp back on the curriculum in 80%$ of Texas schools, Barton indeed has something righteous to cry about.
However, given Barton’s track record, I won’t believe a word until I check it out myself..
Agreed. But he’s often birddogging something real, although he exaggerates, he does not fabricate from whole cloth. In this case, if he’s wrong about smelling a skunk, it doesn’t mean he’s not correctly smelling a rat.
I would doubt that the curriculum is being made “in secret.” I would bet instead that, due to the revelations about his qualifications as a “historian”, Barton has simply been removed from the process. So now he is trying to re-insert himself by stirring up a panic.
The point to me is the veil of secrecy . If CSCOPE has nothing to hide, why then the cloud of security about MY child’s study plan. I don’t care what the curriculum is or is not. You WILL not introduce ANY plan to educate my child that I have not agreed with first. PERIOD. Second, if I disagree with your study plan, and the previous plan I was taught or an alternative that I agree with is not offered , prepare for a law suit on discrimination.
Leo – I agree that the curriculum should be open to inspection. What I am sure about yet is the truthfulness of the claim that it is a secret. I have read some information that leads me to think otherwise, but I am not ready to say one way or the other yet.
The point to me is the veil of secrecy . If CSCOPE has nothing to hide, why then the cloud of security about MY child’s study plan. I don’t care what the curriculum is or is not. You WILL not introduce ANY plan to educate my child that I have not agreed with first. PERIOD. Second, if I disagree with your study plan, and the previous plan I was taught or an alternative that I agree with is not offered , prepare for a law suit on discrimination.
Leo – I agree that the curriculum should be open to inspection. What I am sure about yet is the truthfulness of the claim that it is a secret. I have read some information that leads me to think otherwise, but I am not ready to say one way or the other yet.