Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it...

Heads up! We're not a democracy anymore.  Seriously. Texas said so! And the entire state must be part of some alternate USA, because their country has a different history than the rest of us in the US. Really, if my kids ever kids passed a test based on the new curriculum standards, I'd consider grounding them.

If you stumble on this post months or years from now, I hope the new standards haven't spread throughout the country and become ingrained in society. If they have, I do hope you remember what happened to spark this post and your skewed-version of history.  If not, take this chance to research the Texas Board of Education ruling in 2010.

If you're reading this soon afterwards and start thinking about the ruling too hard, you'll get yourself all worked up. Actually,  I can't imagine not getting worked up about this even if I were comatose! Still, I had t laugh through the irritation, and other articles online have helped. For example, Mark Morford's article at sfgate.com, Dear Texas, Please shut up. Sincerely, History, had me at the word Dear. From that article:

Hey, kids! Here's something I bet you didn't know: Black people? Back in 1800 or whenever? They liked volunteered for that fine, desirable position. It was a completely balanced, fair, hugely successful system, until those damn liberals came along and ruined everything. I know, right? What a shame....

And from a TFN press release:

The Texas State Board of Education’s vote today against requiring that students learn what the nation’s Founders did to protect religious freedom represents an irresponsible rewriting of American history and a stunning triumph of politics over education, the president of the Texas Freedom Network said today.
“These board members voted to reject the most fundamental constitutional protection for religious freedom in America today: the principle that government may not disfavor or promote any religion over all others,” TFN President Kathy Miller said. “In a world plagued by religious conflict, the Founders understood that keeping government out of religion was essential to protecting freedom. It’s stunning that this board, which directs the education of nearly 5 million public school children, doesn’t understand that.”
The board’s vote came on an amendment offered by Mavis Knight, D-Dallas: “examine the reasons the Founding Fathers protected religious freedom in America by barring government from promoting or disfavoring any particular religion over all others.”
The board rejected Knight’s amendment on a party-line vote, with all Republicans voting no and all Democrats voting yes.
The board is continuing the revision of social studies standards today and tomorrow and will take a final vote in May. Publishers will use the standards to write new textbooks that will be sold in Texas and across the country.