Failing Grades on Civics Exam Called a ‘Crisis’

[fettpett]

LOL. Here, the little girls write papers about Diana Ross. Most women her age in Detroit (the little girls' grandmas) despise "Diane Ross". Yet, Sojurner Truth lived in Battle Creek after she escaped from slavery and is a much more interesting historical figure, there are at least two churches in downtown Detroit that were final stops on the Underground Railroad, and numerous other truly historical african-american people and places in the area to write about.

She's buried right next to James and Ellen White

[Arroyo_Doble]

What are the consequences for failure (whatever that is on this test) or the reward for passing?

Stick a test in front of some high school kids with no consequences and they will bubble it in and lay their heads down to sleep (or disrupt the class until they can get sent out so they can play with thier phones in "detention").

I have lost faith in testing as a way to gauge knowledge unless there is some teeth in the thing. Graduate or not graduate makes a huge difference in scores from 10th to 12th grade on standardized testing.

[PoliCon]

My whole problem with how a lot of educators teach black history is that they totally take it out of the context of american history, when it should be incorporated into the overall story. It confuses kids to take people and events out of their times and not address other things that were happening in the same era. You can't discuss the civil war without discussing the industrial revolution, for example. The north's win had a lot to do with their industrial development and the south's agriculturally-based economy.

EXACTLY. And I have no problem what ever dealing with significant black figures when they come up historically. I'm less inclined to accept notion that we should cover someone just because of their skin color during a particular time of the year.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Policon I understand if you are uncomfortable giving out details (like I am), but do you teach history or social studies?

What do you feel is important to cover about Martin Luther King Jr?

I see that schools tend to only focus on "black civil rights" and "I Have a Dream Speech". This is only one part, and also the most Politically Correct aspect of this man's actions.

Martin Luther King Jr was also extremely active in the anti-war movement, he gave some of the best speeches of the time on the topic of Vietnam, and spoke about the problems of Capitalism and advocated a move towards Democratic Socialism. It is when he started talking about these topics that the FBI got really involved and also when he was assassinated. Most people I talk to have no idea that he even spoke about these topics. Social Studies education in this country (especially in my bass-akwards state of Texas) is a joke.

[PoliCon]

What do you feel is important to cover about Martin Luther King Jr?

Nothing. he's a small pothole in the road of American History at best.

I'd much rather deal with Frederick Douglas - Dred Scott - Hiram Revels . . . you know - blacks men of actual historical significance - and men who are not given their due.

[Wei Wu Wei]

Nothing. he's a small pothole in the road of American History at best.

I'd much rather deal with Frederick Douglas - Dred Scott - Hiram Revels . . . you know - blacks men of actual historical significance - and men who are not given their due.

wow....

[fettpett]

Nothing. he's a small pothole in the road of American History at best.

I'd much rather deal with Frederick Douglas - Dred Scott - Hiram Revels . . . you know - blacks men of actual historical significance - and men who are not given their due.

thats pretty harsh on MLK Jr. He was a very significant figure of the 20th Century, while I agree with you on the other men, you can't just dismiss MLK Jr and what his actions lead to dealing with segregation. No matter how twisted guys like Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have made the message.

[Rockntractor]

Nothing. he's a small pothole in the road of American History at best.

I'd much rather deal with Frederick Douglas - Dred Scott - Hiram Revels . . . you know - blacks men of actual historical significance - and men who are not given their due.

I have always admired Booker T. Washington and have read his biography several times. I like to read it when I start feeling sorry for myself.

[PoliCon]

thats pretty harsh on MLK Jr. He was a very significant figure of the 20th Century, while I agree with you on the other men, you can't just dismiss MLK Jr and what his actions lead to dealing with segregation. No matter how twisted guys like Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have made the message.

Except that the bulk of the civil rights movement had nothing what ever to do with Dr. King - and the civil rights movement as it played itself out in the 1960s did far more damage to the black community and America in general than it did benefit. So while he might have been moderately significant in 20th century American pop culture - in the reality of overall history - not so much.

[fettpett]

Except that the bulk of the civil rights movement had nothing what ever to do with Dr. King - and the civil rights movement as it played itself out in the 1960s did far more damage to the black community and America in general than it did benefit. So while he might have been moderately significant in 20th century American pop culture - in the reality of overall history - not so much.

and how much of that had to do with guys like Sharpton and Jackson others who assumed leadership after King's death and embraced policies that disintegrated the family structure in the black community?

While I don't agree with all his stances, he was not an insignificant figure in the overall movement. I do agree that there are figures that had a much more significant and last impact in the civil rights movement and many of them being white men and women.