Don't Know Much About History

For John, BLUF:  In order to be good voters, good citizens, we need to know how we got here.  Otherwise we are like Post Turtles.  For example, 1215 is important to every American, regardless of race, religion or other factor of distinction.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Let’s do another re-write of history, and let’s establish a quota system in the MSM

Or, as Blogger Sarah Hoyt put it:

IN WOKISTAN, AS IN THE OLD SOVIET UNION, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS.  IT’S THE PAST THAT KEEPS CHANGING

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And here is the NBC Chicago article on the idea,

Chicago-Area Leaders Call for Illinois to Abolish History Classes

Here is the sub-headline:

State Rep. LaShawn K. Ford said current history teachings overlook the contributions of women and minorities

Here is the lede plus two:

Leaders in education, politics and other areas gathered in suburban Evanston Sunday to ask that the Illinois State Board of Education change the history curriculum at schools statewide, and temporarily halt instruction until an alternative is decided upon.

At a news conference, State Rep. LaShawn K. Ford said current history teachings lead to a racist society and overlook the contributions of women and minorities.

Before the event Sunday, Rep. Ford's office distributed a news release "Rep. Ford Today in Evanston to Call for the Abolishment of History Classes in Illinois Schools," in which Ford asked the ISBOE and school districts to immediately remove history curriculum and books that "unfairly communicate" history "until a suitable alternative is developed."

If we don't know our history we don't know who we are.  Is some of what we know about our history wrong?  I am sure.  However, not wrong enough to stop teaching it altogether.  In fact, given the proliferation of the Howard Zinn textbook, we may actually have more recent students knowing less than their elders.

I applaud the idea of reviewing what we are teaching as history in K through 12.  The idea that we will stop teaching all history, awaiting the outcome, seems like either an extreme political stunt or terrible folly on the part of public education.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff