* Ohio's Republicans are pushing their right wing agenda regarding the teaching of history in schools. The Republicans and Gov. Kasich have already taken away money for schools so they could give more to charters and corporations. Now teachers will be forced to teach "originalism" for history.
Dispatch:
....Legislators engaged in an extensive debate today over a bill that would require students in grades 4-12 to be taught the original texts of the Declaration of Independence, Northwest Ordinance and the U.S. and state constitutions. Starting in high school, more social-studies time would be dedicated to American history and government classes, which would have to include study of the documents.
It also would require that, by July 1, 2014, at least 25 percent of questions on new end-of-course exams for American history and government relate to the founding documents. The State Board of Education would be ordered to develop the new standards by July 1, 2012.....
.....“ By teaching the Constitution without teaching the whole truth, this is where we come into problems,”n said Rep. Clayton Luckie, D-Dayton. “Three-fifths of a human being; women not able to vote. ... You teach it all. When you leave parts out, you let individuals put their own thoughts into that and twist why things happened in our history.”
Pushing this type of study, will help Republicans eliminate why certain groups were given rights. Does this mean that there will be no discussion of Women's Rights, Civil Rights, Child Labor, integration, voters rights, etc.?
Alternet suggests that this type of instruction is being supported by right wingers:
....Originalist constitutional theory developed during the Reagan years as a critique of activist judges. Its theorists argued that a jurisprudence focused on the original intent of the Founders would serve as a means of limiting the discretion of judges. This theory proved controversial from the start and was subjected to a number of withering criticisms. One of the many problems with the theory stemmed from its shaky historical foundations. Simply put, the Founders did not speak with a single voice on most constitutional questions......
......“New Originalism” has grown over the last decade, largely spurred by right-wing scholars, judges, and generous support from the Federalist Society, the wealthy conservative legal group that has become a farm team for conservative judges and academics. In contrast to traditional originalism, new originalism emerged at a time when the Supreme Court was dominated by a conservative majority, as it is today. The goal of new originalism is not to constrain judges, but to empower them to further the agenda of conservatives. (A few liberals have embraced a version of this theory, hoping to use it to revive and expand aspects of the Fourteenth Amendment, but this is a small minority within the originalist movement.) For right-wing scholars and judges, new originalism serves as a type of constitutional camouflage. It allows “conservatives” to create their own living constitution and advance a form of judicial activism, while claiming to be simply engaged in an act of constitutional redemption....
Are Republicans trying to push their propaganda on our school children? You betcha! They are trying to make our children into little right wingers who want to adhere to only those laws in the original documents. This is also discussed in an article by conservative Steven Hayward, "After Reagan: Five Challenges for 21st Century Conservatives." Once again, we are confronted with the right wing agenda and an unfunded mandate.