Thursday, April 21, 2016

WHY CURRICULUM MATTERS: Do you know what your children are being taught?

Proposed Social Studies Electives Texts/Resources:

I am posting this because U-46 parents and citizens have a right and a duty to know what is planned for instruction of their children before it is approved by the BOE (Board of Education). There are six (seven if Law and Law II are counted as two courses) High School Social Studies Electives courses, the resources/textbooks on which the U-46 BOE will be voting on MONDAY, APRIL 25, 2016 AT 7 PM, AT 355 EAST CHICAGO STREET IN ELGIN. There are numerous issues in the proposed texts/resources, including an overarching and pervasive politically left bias, a love-affair with Karl Marx, factual inaccuracies about the history of Islam and Israel, global warming pseudo-science without opposing viewpoint (except in World Geography), anti-American bias, anti-traditional family bias, anti-war dogma with no opposing viewpoint, and profound moral relativism, among other issues . I will cover each of the texts/resources one at a time. There is no way I could cover the majority of the material in the texts (and this review is over 2500 words), but the problems I did find are enough that I will not voting for any of these texts/resources.

The proposed texts/resources include:

1.       Into to Psychology (Textbook: “Thinking About Psychology”): This is publicly available (a simple Google  search for this text returns it as the first result) and can be viewed here.
2.       Sociology (Textbook: “Sociology: A Down to Earth Approach”, 12th edition)
3.       Intro to Law and Law II (Textbook: “Street Law”, 9th Edition)
4.       International Relations (Textbook/Resource: “Current Issues Series”, Brown University, publicly available)
5.       World History (Textbook: “World History”, Pearson Publishing, 2016 Edition)
6.       World Geography (Textbook: “Geography: The Human and Physical World”, McGraw Hill)

Problematic portions of the texts/resources are below:

1.       Intro to Psychology (publicly available)
a)      A lesson entitled “The Psychology of Culture and Gender” includes links to an article on “Ethnocentrism” which cites the International Declaration of Human rights as a starting point for evaluating cultures, but asserts that “there are few absolute answers”.  The same article changes the definition of relativism to “not judging others' ways and accepting them as equal to our own”. Actually, relativism is the belief that there is no absolute truth (except the absolute truth that there is no absolute truth…).
b)      The same lesson includes a link to a Tolerance.org (a “Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center” – a hard left organization proclaiming itself to be a watchdog on hate groups and hate crimes)  page where students can “test [their] hidden bias”

2.       Sociology (Textbook:  “Sociology: A Down to Earth Approach”, 12th edition)
a)      On the Table of Contents page a note “To the Students…from the Author” states, “From how people become homeless to how they become presidents, from why people commit suicide to why women are discriminated against in every society around the world – are all part of sociology”. Painting the whole world as discriminating to women with a broad brush like this is irresponsible and misleading.
b)      Chapter 1, Quiz: The male/female wage gap myth is propagated with the statement “Over the years, the wage gap has narrowed, but only slightly. On average, full-time working women earn about 72% of what full-time working men earn. This low figure is actually an improvement over earlier years.” No opposing viewpoint is presented. Here is one, from a Harvard economics professor Claudia Goldin. Goldin spoke to Stephen Dubner, the journalist behind the popular podcast “Freakanomics,” in a segment about what really causes the gap. Goldin concludes that the gap is due mostly to choices men and women make in their careers and not discrimination.
c)       In a section entitled, “Karl Marx and Conflict Theory” (page 27), a rosy picture of Karl Marx and communism is painted. Communism =  good, capitalism = bad. Employers are evil people who will not give workers’ rights unless forced to do so:
“Karl Marx, the founder of conflict theory, witnessed the Industrial Revolution that transformed Europe. ..he concluded that the key to human history is ‘class conflict’. In each society, some small group controls the means of production and exploits those who are not in control. In industrialized societies, the struggle is between the ‘bourgeoisie’, the small group of capitalists who own the means to produce wealth, and the ‘proletariat’, the mass of workers who are exploited by the bourgeoisie. The capitalists control the legal and political system. If the workers rebel, the capitalists call on the power of the state to subdue them.
“When Marx made his observations, capitalism was in its infancy and workers were at the mercy of their employers…Marx’s analysis reminds us that [worker benefits] came not from generous hearts but from workers forcing concessions by their employers.”
d)      “Ethnocentrism” and “Cultural Relativsm”, pages 36-39. The idea is presented that there is no good and bad, only differences in cultures. No one culture is better than any other culture.
e)      In a lesson headlined, “Values in US Society”, a list of 10 values ends with:
 “’Group superiority’. Although it contradicts the values of freedom, democracy, and equality, Americans regard some groups more highly than others and have done so throughout their history. The denial of the vote to women, the slaughter of Native Americans, and the enslavement of Africans are a few examples of how the groups considered superior have denied equality and freedom to others”.
There is no mention of the fact that Americans were the ones who fought for women’s right to vote, that countries around the world practiced slavery (and some still do), that Americans fought a civil war to end slavery, and that it was often Africans who sold fellow Africans into slavery in the first place.
f)       In a lesson entitled, “Socialization into Gender” (pages 74 and 75) the idea is presented that the children of Gay and Lesbian parents “show less gender stereotyping”. Traditional families, by inference, teach their children to stereotype.
g)      There are many, many other examples, too many to cover here. Suffice it to say that many U-46 parents would find this textbook extremely objectionable.

3.       Intro to Law and Law II (Textbook: “Street Law”, 9th Edition)
a)      Chapter 1: “What is Law: Human Rights”, introduces the UN Declaration of Human Rights as the standard for what Human Rights are (not the US Bill of Rights, not the US Declaration of Independence). It states, “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a statement of basic human rights and standards for government that has been agreed to by almost every country in the world…The UDHR is not a binding treaty. However, the UN has established a system of international treaties and other legal mechanisms to enforce human rights. These include...the right to adequate education, food, housing, health care, protection of property, and employment in safe conditions at an adequate salary.”
If a textbook on Law in the United States cannot ascertain and explain to students that food, housing, health care, employment, and an adequate salary are not rights, but must be earned, and that people have no right to the labor of others without remuneration (which is theft), then there is no hope for this textbook.

Furthermore, UDHR does not set out any agreed upon standard for all peoples and nations.  The Declaration of Independence in its opening sets the standard for human rights in the US : “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.  We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness….”

Notice that rights come from God.

4.       International Relations (Textbook/Resource: “Current Issues Series”, Brown University, publicly available)
a)      The most frequently cited news sources throughout this resource are those which lean left, e.g., “The New York Times” , “The Huffington Post”, CNN
b)      The lesson “Negotiating Climate Change: Paris 2015” is completely one-sided. The top objective of this lesson is “examine the need for, and challenges associated with, creating an international agreement on climate change”. (It is apparently established fact that climate change needs to be combated). One video provided explains the utter chaos the world will face, including the wiping out of whole societies, if climate change is not stopped. In the handout, students are asked: “Write a one- or two-sentence summary on why the Conference is important” and “How do you think the global crisis will continue to play out?” There is no presentation of the fact that many prominent scientists disagree about climate change, or of the scandal (Climate Gate) where scientists cooked the data to make it appear that the earth was warming when it was not.
c)       The “Resource Guide on the Terrorist Attacks in Paris” includes a link to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Debunking Stereotypes about Muslims and Islam”. As stated previously, the SPLC is a hard left organization.
d)      The lessons “Refugee Stories: Mapping a Crisis” and “The Iraqi Refugee Crisis” paint a very sympathetic view of refugees without exploring the consequences for taking in refugees and how to insure refugees are not terrorists looking for an easy path into the US. In the Iraqi lesson under the heading “Considering U.S. Policy” are two videos from a professor who states “The U.S. government has a responsibility to do much more than what it is doing now.” Although students are asked whether they “agree with this statement? Why or why not?” they are not provided with videos presenting the opposing view.
e)      The lesson “The Costs of War” presentsone-sided anti-war biased information without discussion of the merits of any war and includes no discussion of why war may be necessary. (It also refers to America’s political system as a ‘democracy’; it is not. It is a Republic).
f)       The lesson “Human Rights” cites international underpinnings for human rights but the Declaration of Independence and the US Bill of Rights is conspicuously absent:
Students trace the origins and history of international human rights, exploring the effects of events such as World War II and the Nuremberg Trials, the birth of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Cold War, and decolonization. They also consider human rights in practice today, exploring how different actors—such as national governments, the UN, international courts, NGOs, and individuals—influence human rights around the world. Students consider current challenges in human rights, and also examine five case studies that highlight major controversies.”

5.       World History (textbook:“World History”, Pearson Publishing, 2016 Edition): This text has numerous pervasive factual problems and biases, including (a detailed account compiled by “Truth in Texas Textbooks” can be found here. It is based on the 2014 edition but based on the responses of the publisher the criticisms still apply):
a)      The mischaracterization that Muslims were the original occupants of the Holy Land and that Christians invaded it
b)      Failure to mention the expulsion and/or slaughter of Jews who did not wish to convert to Islam, instead claiming that Muhammad “brought peace among the clans of Medina”
c)       Mischaracterization of what the Qur’an says, claiming “The Quran teaches about what Muslims believe to be God’s will and provides a guide to life. Its ethical standards emphasize honesty, generosity, and social justice,” while omitting the fact that other passages in the Qur’an teach that it is the duty of Muslims to wage jihad warfare until Islam and Shari’a law are supreme over the entire world.
d)      The fallacy that Muslims believe that Christians, Jews, and Muslims serve the same God and that Christians and Jews enjoyed religious freedom under Muslim rule
e)      The mischaracterization of the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization) as having renounced terrorism, while its charter calls for the destruction of Israel
f)       Mischaracterization of the 1948 Arab/Israeli war by omission of the fact that Israel did not create the refugee problem and that the Arabs who fled from Israel in 1948-49 did so in obedience to their own leaders. It is also omitted that those who stayed were not forced out and are now free citizens of Israel.

6.       World Geography: (textbook: “Geography: The Human and Physical World”, McGraw Hill)
a)      Of the texts examined, this one gave the opposing argument for man-made global warming. In a Lesson entitled, “The Global Warming Debate”, “Arguments to Refute Climate Change” are presented alongside “Arguments to Support Climate Change”. Kudos.
b)      “Truth in Texas Textbooks” has produced a helpful review of this text (albeit from the 2014 edition. Some of their comments are still applicable to the 2016 edition). Their applicable findings show a pervasive anti-Israel bias.
                                                         i.            Chapter 16: The Eastern Mediterranean: Lesson 1: The Physical Geography of the Eastern Mediterranean, states, “Syria, the northernmost country in the Eastern Mediterranean, is bordered by Turkey on the north, Iraq on the east, Jordan on the south, and Lebanon and Israel on the southwest. To the southwest of Syria is a territory called the Golan Heights. This territory consists of a rocky plateau that is officially part of Syria, but most of it has been occupied by Israel since 1967 (emphasis mine).

To quote “Truth in Texas Textbooks”, “The wording of UN Resolution 242 clearly reflects the contention that none of the territories were occupied territories  taken by force in an unjust war. Because the Arabs were clearly the aggressors, nowhere in UN Security Council Resolutions 242 is Israel branded as an invader or unlawful occupier of the territories.

                                                       ii.            Chapter 16: The Eastern Mediterranean: Lesson 2: The Physical Geography of the Eastern Mediterranean, states, “Due to military conflicts and resettlement programs, many Palestinians were displaced beginning with the war following Israel’s declaration of independence. They relocated to refugee settlements in neighboring Arab countries. In 2012 the UN reported that there were 4,797,723 registered Palestinian refugees living in 58 camps in Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. These include several generations of descendants of the original refugees. This has been a serious humanitarian issue that hampers peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.”

This again shows an anti-Israel bias. Again quoting “Truth in Texas Textbooks”, “This statement is propaganda with very little truth and few historical facts. Arab leaders ordered the Palestinians to flee. Palestinians were told to vacate their villages and that they would be allowed to return after the ‘Zionists’ were defeated.

“In addition students are not told that the Arab nations refused to take in the Palestinians; that they chose instead to use them and to exploit their suffering for purposes of discrediting and delegitimizing Israel. Although some camps were set up in Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, those countries refused to allow the refugees into their societies.”


In conclusion, the numerous issues in the above proposed texts/resources, including an overarching and pervasive politically left bias, a love-affair with Karl Marx, factual inaccuracies about the history of Islam and Israel, global warming pseudo-science without opposing viewpoint (except in World Geography), anti-American bias, anti-traditional family bias, anti-war dogma with no opposing viewpoint, and profound moral relativism, among other issues, prevent me from voting yes for any of these resources. 

20 comments:

  1. As an alumnus of U-46 I can't even begin to express my disgust over this issue. It is a major problem that this district faces, one that needs to be rectified, but I fear that it won't be anytime soon because people just don't care about it. How can it be that such misinformation could be swallowed so easily by the masses? Moreover Mrs. Ward, why are you perpetuating such myths and disinformation?

    To address what seems to be an overall grievance with moral relativism, I would remind you that there are many different viewpoints and beliefs in the world and in a globally connected society such as the one we live in today it is important to acknowledge these differences and not judge them too harshly. There are 7 billion people in the world, students ought to understand how all of these different cultures interact and (most importantly) *why* they believe what they believe. That is key to having an informed population in this country. You don't have to agree with what they believe, but you should understand why they believe what they believe.

    I wish I could read the sociology textbook that describes Marx, as it probably does not describe it well. I've read some of what Marx wrote and it is very dense and confusing, but there are merits to his critique of capitalism. Now I do not like communism in the slightest, but I don't think that Marx should be discounted at all from a sociological standpoint. Like him or hate him, he had a major impact on how people think and how we view society, and his ideas have sparked many political movements that persist today. Ignoring his beliefs purely for political and ideological beliefs would be doing a massive disservice to education in general.

    Ah, climate change, such a fascinating topic. You make the statement that the so called “ClimateGate” scandal revealed scientists to be cooking data to create a conspiracy. Yet a multitude of science academies and organizations (including but not limited to the NSF, University of East Anglia (where the emails originated), the NOAA, Penn State) reviewed the scientific data and the emails that were leaked and found no evidence of misconduct or falsification, thus disproving the issue you seem to have with the topic of climate change. Therefore, Mrs. Ward, I do not think that mentioning this in a textbook would be worthwhile as it has not contributed to IR at all. Moreover, the many scientists whom you claim denounce the idea of global warming are a small fraction of the overall scientific community, and few articles are published in peer-reviewed journals. Why should we not teach children about this issue? If we don’t, how are we going to explain to them what happened when the Florida Keys disappear?

    Your comments about the world history book especially frighten me. As someone who has spent time in the Arab world studying Islamic history and society as well as the Arabic language, I find it appalling that *you* would claim to know what the Quran says and the message it sends for Muslims. The Quran is a complex text, even before translation. Declaring that the Quran dictates that all Muslims must wage jihad and spread Sharia is perpetuating a lie that prevents understanding and education. One of the pillars of Islam is giving a portion of income to the poor. Helping others is a key tenet of their faith. I have met many Muslims who are generous and kind and welcoming, I guarantee you they are not all trying to spread Sharia and take over the world. That is a stereotype that is only going to make understanding more difficult. On a side note regarding tolerance, there was the idea of convivencia, where there was peace among the three Abrahamic religions in Muslim Spain. However, there is not much in terms of evidence of this being very widespread, but the concept of it did exist.

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  2. Apologies for two posts, I have much to say about this.

    In that same textbook about world history, you also mention that the book has an anti-war bias and that we should also teach students that war is sometimes necessary. Looking at the lesson plan and its focus on Iraq and Afghanistan, I don’t understand why you get those thoughts from this lesson. The Iraq War was an unmitigated disaster that has caused exponentially more harm than good. I could go on for hours on this topic but I will spare you the rant. You say that there are “merits” to war? I find that to be absurd. War is a dirty business that should not be lauded or glorified. It is horrific and leads to death and destruction. While it may be necessary in certain cases (a point I will agree with), it is not something to be given merit.

    In addition, your complaints that human rights should be taught with the Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence can be addressed quite simply, as the concept of human rights did not exist before the formation of the UN. Natural rights, the ones guaranteed in our founding documents, are not the same as human rights. Even as a country with natural rights the USA still had slavery for almost a century and committed atrocities against Native Americans. It would be very hypocritical to say that these documents had anything to do with the cause of human rights as we know it today.

    When discussing the idea of natural rights and the UN declaration, I would agree that it is a utopian idea, but it is one to strive for. What is the problem with saying that every person in the world should have access to healthcare? To education? I could go on about the existence (or in my opinion, nonexistence) of natural rights. You make the point that the natural rights that all Americans have come from God. I ask you, Mrs. Ward, which God? There are so many different faiths and denominations in America that I don’t know which one to thank for giving me these rights. I like to give credit where credit is due, but I don’t know where to give it right now.

    With regards to the Arab-Israeli conflict, I would agree that it is hard to present that issue without annoying someone. However, taking issue with the Israeli occupation of Golan is supporting an injustice. UNSCR 497 declared Israel’s Golan Heights annexation law to be null and void, declaring that the Golan is not a part of Israel and is an occupied territory since it was seized in the Six-Day War. In the eyes of the international community, that much is for certain.

    I care about education in this country, but I do not believe that this post serves the best interests of our youth. We live in a globalized society, that part cannot be denied. If we want to raise a generation that understands the world and how it works, they should know about the world and understand how events work from a global perspective, not just from an American perspective (but not excluding it). These textbooks are trying to show students that, but you don't want to see that happen. My question, Mrs. Ward, is why do you want to limit the potential of students in U-46?

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  3. Thanks for sharing your perspective FindingEnlightenment. You do realize that your entire response is the underlying reason why there is so much discord in the public education system today. So here’s my perspective:

    Being one of the 7 billion people, you hold beliefs that are in opposition to those of Ms. Ward, who is also amongst the 7 billion. So exactly how many and which belief systems of the 7 billion should the monolithic, compulsory, public education system teach? Of those, which one do we uphold here in America as an arc over our culture that binds us together and identifies us uniquely?

    Over a half a century of multiculturalism, philosophical deconstructionism, critical theory and cultural Marxism have led us to where we now find ourselves today--the growing conflict of “all against all.”

    You believe that merely because we are a globally connected society, we are obligated “to acknowledge these differences and not judge them too harshly.” Does that include cultures where female genital mutilation is commonly practiced, honor killings are tolerated, caste systems relegate the poor to the streets, slavery is practiced, minor children are sold into the sex trade, etc.? Should we not judge these differences? Or do we merely ignore these cultural mores and only accentuate the positive so we can delude ourselves into feeling like we are all one happy global community.

    I agree that mentioning Marxism in a political, philosophical, or historical context is part of education, as long as you mention Locke and Hume in the same breath. The massive disservice we do in education is not teaching students their own Country’s philosophical founding and what the result has been, while the outcome of Marxism has been mass graves. This love affair the progressive left has with Marx and Engel is so completely detached from reality it borders on a psychosis.

    Regarding “Climate Change” let’s agree that what we’re really debating is man’s impact upon the globe that is supposedly going to destroy the planet. A few observations/questions:

    1. Polar ice is increasing
    2. NASA data over the last 10 years indicates cooling not warming
    3. Climategate occurred and revealed a concerted effort by scientists to promote an outcome verses letting the facts speak for themselves.
    4. It only takes one scientist, or anyone for that matter, with the truth to outweigh all those that are wrong. It’s not about how many scientists claim this or that, it is about what is true.
    5. Science rarely predicts the weather properly 24 hours from now, let alone hundreds of years for now.
    6. The earth’s ecosphere has and will continue to change the landscape dramatically without the assistance of man--earthquakes, volcanos, etc.
    7. Sunspots can and do seriously affect the planet, again without the assistance of man.
    8. China continues to build a massive number of coal plants which will swamp our carbon emissions relatively soon. Should we go to war to stop them?

    The debate is far from over, unless of course you apply “power from the barrel of a gun” to end it.

    Part 1 of 2.

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  4. Part 2 of 2

    Regarding Islamism, I find your comments frightening as well. There is a cliché, “Not every Muslim is a terrorist, but every terrorist of late is a Muslim.” You conveniently omit that jihad is one of the seven pillars as well, and as Muhammed practiced it, I think it was a bit more than an “internal struggle.” While you guarantee that “they are not all trying to spread Sharia and take over the world,” it is undeniable that a considerable number of them are. While we don’t need to be paranoid, we do need to understand there is a real threat from those who make the claim that they wish to conquer in the name of Allah. In being “appalled” by Ms. Ward’s understanding of the Quran, you appear to have quickly abandon your own principle of acknowledging differences and not judging them too harshly, or did I misunderstand?

    On war you seem to self-refute. On one hand you say that “it may be necessary in certain cases,” yet on the other hand you condemn Ms. Ward for her statement that we should also teach students that war is sometimes necessary. Hmmm.

    I found your mental gymnastics on human rights interesting. Natural rights are human rights as we are by nature human. I believe you quite clearly understand the reference to “natural law” so I don’t need to go into it. The problem with the section in the curriculum is it declares the UN declaration as binding law upon all nations and peoples, which it is not. I believe that is called a “falsehood.” And to answer your question regarding which “God,” that would be the Judeo-Christian one. Just read some of the writings of the Founders and Framers. I’m surprised that you are ignorant of that fact since you seem to present yourself as well educated. So please feel to address your thanks to Jesus Christ, I’m sure he’ll be happy to receive them.

    Regarding Israel, you self-refute there as well. Since all five Arab nations attacked Israel in the “Six Day War,” the Golan Heights are conquered territory taken from hostile enemies, not “occupied territory.” Should Israel care to give this land to those who attacked them, as they have the Sinai, Gaza and other territory, that is up to them. Since I don’t believe you’re insisting that every UN resolution is justified, like UNSCR 1441 and the 15 other resolutions that Saddam Hussein ignored before the US upheld them by invading Iraq, which was also approved by Congress.

    In conclusion, since I care about education in this country as well, I assume you would be a supporter of educational choice which would allow parents the right to choose the type of education their children would receive. By doing so, we could end the ongoing conflict regarding public education and curriculum. You could send your children to the “globalized society” school, while Ms. Ward and others would be free to send their children to the “American society” school. Wouldn’t that be an elegant and fair solution? Or are you of a mindset of intellectual and moral superiority where your “side” is right and the rest are wrong. But I doubt that, since why would you want to limit the potential of any student?

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    1. Well done and thank you.

      The poster you replied to is clear evidence that the education system is a problem. The poster revealed a misunderstanding of Rights. The "Climate Gate" comments were also interesting. I reviewed the leaked source code that was forcing a result and clearly showed that the data was being doctored (as the leaked emails said).

      Thanks again for your reasoned response.

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    2. Thank you for your clear thinking and factual responses to the muddled diatribe of "Finding Enlightenment"....You give me hope!

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  5. Well then please, by all means, find us the perfect book so we can replace the ones I used 20 years ago when I was in high school.

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    1. Yikes! I feel your frustration, Ms. Missele, as do many students, teachers and parents, especially when the averages for textbook replacement across states was averaging around 8 years (which still sounds like a ridiculously high number). Recognizing that budget constraints also put downward pressure on replacement efforts and likely increasing those averages, it's mind boggling that U-46's mean averages for replacement appear to be statistically higher. Why do you suppose that is?

      I am confident that Mrs. Ward is not suggesting a "perfect" book for any subject in any curricula, but rather a more robust spectrum of resources within each subject that would provide students a fair and balanced
      view. Isn't that how we develop critical thinking?

      Her comments have also opened up a dialogue among other parents frustrated about content and what they perceive as being disenfranchised from the ability to have a say in material being taught. I'm certainly not one to judge a parents feelings on the matter, but these folks are certainly deserving of being heard, having some measure of input and being engaged with the district during the selection process rather than reacting on the eve of a decision. From my perspective, it appears as though there's a communication gap. If we've waited this long for a decision, could a couple more months of mindful dialogue among stakeholders provide a fruitful, mutually respectful decision?

      Thank you for dialing in to the issue and your dedication to our students.

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  7. This is why I refuse to allow my child to go to U-46 when they are old enough. You run a school system that has 2/3's of its students scoring bellow average in math, and you are more concerned that our children are learning that the wage gap exists. It seems to me you are more concerned about politics then you are about the actually success of teaching children to think critically. To me it sounds like its time to find a new school board member.

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    1. Ms. Schwarzwalder,
      I think that the vast majority of U-46 stakeholders will agree with your assessment of academic success and readiness, especially as it relates to mathematics. Your comments are substantiated by the ISBE report card.

      However, please don't kill the messenger. Mrs. Ward is hardly a one issue or one curricula board member; the records reflect that. Try to remember that she's been a seated board member for less than one year. In that time she has been extremely vocal and prolific in her perspective of all k-12 curricula and instruction. She regularly seeks input from the community and has been overtly respectful of her critics in the wake of multiple "hate campaigns" waged against her because she presents an alternate or opposing view. She was overwhelmingly elected to her position by which she is responsible to represent those constituents.

      Rather than attacking a board member, how do we as a community work together to ensure that our curriculum includes diversity of thought, thus allowing for greater critical thinking and learning in our kids? How do we compel the board and administration to better address the gaps across all subject matter? Even more, what are the real root causes to the issues of low test scores?

      Thank for sharing your perspective. It is palpable and I know many parents feel your similar frustration.

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    2. Attacking a board member who is trying to change the existing, old system chaired by board members who are not open to diverse ideas, doesn't help anyone. Most people understand that U-46 is a horrible school district that spends a lot of money but has nothing to show for it. I'm glad Mrs Ward is on the board and is trying to get things to change.

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  8. All I can say is, it seems that FINALLY somebody smart is writing these books. I can not believe that you can find any objections, and specifically the things you are objecting to. So sad...and ridiculous too.

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    1. The text books as quoted are factually incorrect and present biased, limited points of view and clearly are written to support and encourage a particular, limited political point of view.

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  9. Bet this gets removed because I don't agree with Jeanette's views. If it does, then she is oppressing my freedom of speech, part of our nation's lovely First Amendment in the Bill of Rights. I disagree with her views, I believe them to be wrong. As a student currently taking the AP World History course I found that her views on that textbook were extremely biased only towards Muslims, and were also historically incorrect

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  10. Thank you, Jeanett Ward for your courage to speak out against the political correctness, moral relativism, and other sloppy drivel in textbooks that are being promoted by those with obvious political agendas rather than a sincere desire to teach our children how to think critically. At a minimum they should get their facts straight.

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  11. I couldn't get any further than the sentence about "painting the whole world with a broad brush" in regard to discrimination against women. News flash: women ARE discriminated against in EVERY culture in the world. How anyone can argue against that is mind-boggling to me.

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  12. But I sure do admire your enthusiasm.

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  13. There's a simple, proven solution to this nonsense. Home school. Not sure where to start? Attend iche.org convention June 2-4 in Naperville. Your kids, and your grandkids, will thank you. You DO have school choice.

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