Here's the link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/may/16/texas-schools-rewrites-us-history
What are the purposes of history and how might they affect its production and use? To what extent are historians themselves responsible for this, do you think?
In my opinion history is meant to give an objective and realistic account of relevant past events. Maybe this objectivity might affect the production of history because we don't always like hearing what we don't want to hear, and as such we may want to alter it to suit us. But I find the story of the Texas schools rewriting history utterly ridiculous. Children, especially, need to know the truth, so they can learn from it. One of the main uses of history is learning from it! I believe historians are responsible for sustaining the purposes of history to a LARGE extent - after all, they're the ones producing the history books. In a sense they're the ones actually "making" history.
ReplyDeleteWhat's more, the people vouching for the rewriting have a very BIASED view on these things because they're Christian (devoutly so, I think) and they seem to want history to be in line with what they believe. I can't even believe they would even remove references to the slave trade. You can't deny or ignore that something like THAT ever happened! It's just foolish. Furthermore, it's almost as if they're forcing their beliefs on other people - "The board is to vote on a sweeping purge of alleged liberal bias in Texas school textbooks in favour of what Dunbar says really matters: a belief in America as a nation chosen by God as a beacon to the world, and free enterprise as the cornerstone of liberty and democracy." That's what SOMEONE thinks, not necessarily what everyone SHOULD think.
Andrea
In my opinion history is meant to give an objective and realistic account of relevant past events. Maybe this objectivity might affect the production of history because we don't always like hearing what we don't want to hear, and as such we may want to alter it to suit us. But I find the story of the Texas schools rewriting history utterly ridiculous. Children, especially, need to know the truth, so they can learn from it. One of the main uses of history is learning from it! I believe historians are responsible for sustaining the purposes of history to a LARGE extent - after all, they're the ones producing the history books. In a sense they're the ones actually "making" history.
ReplyDeleteWhat's more, the people vouching for the rewriting have a very BIASED view on these things because they're Christian (devoutly so, I think) and they seem to want history to be in line with what they believe. I can't even believe they would even remove references to the slave trade. You can't deny or ignore that something like THAT ever happened! It's just foolish. Furthermore, it's almost as if they're forcing their beliefs on other people - "The board is to vote on a sweeping purge of alleged liberal bias in Texas school textbooks in favour of what Dunbar says really matters: a belief in America as a nation chosen by God as a beacon to the world, and free enterprise as the cornerstone of liberty and democracy." That's what SOMEONE thinks, not necessarily what everyone SHOULD think, or should have to think.
But most importantly, for me...altering the truth is just NOT the way to go.
Andrea
*Please ignore the first comment. - Andrea
ReplyDelete