Giving our children right tools for learning

Next school year, new history textbooks will be in classrooms across the state. And thanks to the participation of hundreds of parents, teachers and other citizens, the textbooks will have fewer errors and better depict American values and the virtues of our system of government.

Texas Citizens for a Sound Economy members joined a number of other organizations in a citizen review of the history, economics and social studies textbooks recently adopted by the State Board of Education (SBOE). The textbook reviews and publishers’ revisions are available on the Texas Education Agency Web site (www.tea.state.tx.us). School districts are now making their decisions on which of the adopted books to select. It is appropriate that the SBOE first adopt the books because the Permanent School Fund, managed by the SBOE, provides the funds for the textbooks. They are not paid for by local tax dollars.

The Texas Freedom Network (TFN) has been the leading critic of the process and has accused citizen textbook reviewers of censorship.

Since when are parents censors? Parental involvement in education is not only desirable, but required by state law. According to the Texas Education Code: “Parents will be full partners with educators in the education of their children.” We want Texas teachers and schoolchildren to have excellent textbooks that adhere to state law and are accurate and balanced. Instead, citizen reviewers found some textbooks error-ridden, void of patriotism and lacking in historical facts. For instance, some textbooks had historical figures including George Washington and the Wright brothers either shortchanged or absent altogether.

The underlying themes of some textbooks extolled the benefits of socialism and communism. It is not only important to most parents that our children learn the benefits of a free market over government-controlled systems, but it is also state law. The Texas Education Code requires that “A primary purpose of the public school curriculum is to prepare thoughtful active citizens who understand the importance of patriotism and can function productively in a free enterprise society with an appreciation for the basic democratic values of our state and national heritage.”

So who will protect freedom if today’s students don’t learn history and learn from history?

At a time when our freedom is under attack, it is imperative that we teach history. But we aren’t doing a very good job of that.

“Government of the people, by the people and for the people” is a familiar historical phrase. But when asked of students headed to the top U.S. colleges, only 22 percent answered correctly that it came from the Gettysburg Address. Yet studies have found those same students can identify Snoop Dogg and Beavis and Butt-Head.

Lamenting that many Americans are illiterate in history, President Bush recently announced a broad initiative to invigorate the teaching of American history and culture.

And to do that, we need the best textbooks in our classrooms.

The bottom line is, textbooks offered for selection by local school districts are improved thanks to the SBOE’s adoption process and citizen involvement. Now citizens should be involved in the selection of textbooks in their districts.

How can we expect future policymakers to be willing to defend our liberties and freedoms if they don’t understand how fragile our freedom is? We are the beacon of light for those living under oppression and we are the greatest threat to totalitarian governments around the world.

Our adversaries only hope our children don’t learn history.