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Should NE schools to teach patriotism or progressivism?

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Wesley D:
I received the following letter via a local grassroots group.  If you want to help shape the standards taught in NE government schools and you're able to attend one of these meetings (North Platte, Lincoln, or Omaha), then get to a meeting!  If liberty-minded folks like us don't show up, then the meetings will be controlled and directed by Progressives looking to establish a social studies curriculum based on revisionist history and multicultural moral relativism.  Mindy and I are going to go to the Omaha meeting next week.  Anyone else able to go?

Dear Wesley,

The Nebraska State Board of Education and the Nebraska Department of Education are sponsoring  "Citizen Input Sessions” across the state.  The purpose of these sessions is to educate the public on the process for standards development, to explain the format of the standards and to collect citizen input.  Session participants will work in small groups to review the drafts and provide comment in the areas of history, civics, economics and geography.  You will be able to choose your area or areas of focus.  View a press release on the sessions here: http://www.education.ne.gov/ndepress/2012/Revised_Social_studies_Standards.pdf

We need your participation - It is important to attend one of these meetings.  We want the NBOE to know that Social Studies Standards and teaching American exceptionalism are important.  We want to convey the idea that the way standards are taught and learned means everything to our students and to our future as a state and a nation.

Remember - The Board of Education establishes the standards while the individual school district chooses the curriculum. 

Below are talking point ideas that could be expressed:

It is my belief that the following points need to be reflected in the standards:

•Standards should encourage LOVE OF COUNTRY
•Standards should teach CHILDREN TO BE PATRIOTIC
•Standards should convey AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM

Additional talking points:

1.  Students need to learn facts!  We cannot rely on the Internet as our source of information.  Memorization has many benefits to long-term learning and the development of thinking skills.

2. Historical information is key to relating this country’s greatness.  For younger children historical stories, for older children historic novels should be included in their course of study.

3. Patriotism needs to be part of the standards including the pledge of allegiance, singing of Star Spangled Banner and other patriotic songs that tell of our history and our unique freedoms.

4. The goal of our schools should be to make patriots of our young Americans. 

5. Our Social Studies standards should foster in our students an emotional connection to our country.  This can be achieved through such activities as saying the pledge, singing patriotic songs.

6. With historical facts and patriotism as the foundation, older students need to apply critical thinking skills to assess the positive and the negative dealings of our nation.

7. Our nation should not be destroyed from within by the social studies curriculum that is one sided.

8. Standards should include discussions of the character of our national heroes, their passions, purposes and the decisions that were made to better their lives and the circumstances of our country. 

9. Multiculturalism and an unbalanced emphasis on diversity training has failed in England as well as other areas of Europe. Britons and Europeans have learned there is no need to highlight certain classes, races or sexual preference but rather to teach respect for human beings based on the fact we are all people.

10. Students should learn the responsibilities and choices necessary to be a successful citizen in America.

Again, what we are emphasizing is including more teaching on America's exceptionalism, free markets, the Constitution and our founding documents. 

Can you or anyone you know attend?

Meetings:

Wednesday, April 25, 6-9 pm
Educational Service Unit 16
1221 West 17th Street
North Platte, NE 69101

Monday, April 30th, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Scott Middle School Multi-purpose Room
2200 Pine Lake Road
Lincoln, NE 68512

Tuesday, May 1, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Lewis and Clark Middle School, Cafeteria
6901 Burt Street
Omaha, NE 68132

AAllen:
Wesley, Thanks for posting this.  I look forward to seeing you and Mindy (of course I can not forget Dagny) there.

wallace11bravo:
+firearms safety education

Why do we teach how to cross the street safely, fire safety, drivers ed, drug ed, sex ed, but no mandated firearms safety training?

An no, "just stay away from them" is no more an effective method for firearms safety education than "just don't do it" is for sex. Pretending teenagers don't have genitals or hormones is not effective, and pretending firearms do not exist is not effective.

Wesley D:

--- Quote from: wallace11bravo on April 26, 2012, 09:41:35 AM ---+firearms safety education

--- End quote ---
I absolutely agree John, and that is a longer term NFOA goal.  That being said, next week's "Citizen Input Sessions" are specifically for the social studies curriculum, so we need to make sure we stay on message of the above talking points this time around.  We need to take it one battle at a time. ;)

NENick:
I'll be going on the 30th.

This is also an opportunity for us to pull these motivated citizens into the NFOA. Who here can turn out with me?

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