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    • PC RUN AMOK

    Filed at 4:09 pm under by dcobranchi

    File this one under “Gimme-a-break!”

    The Philadelphia School District’s precedent-setting decision to make African American history a requirement for high school graduation sparked passionate reaction yesterday.

    I can see offering it as an elective, especially in majority-minority Philly. But a requirement!? Call me racist, if you like, but I think mandating a full year of African-American studies is just asking for trouble. And I’m not the only one:

    “It might build hostility and anger among groups, too. It has just as much of a chance of doing that,” said Chester Finn of the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Foundation in Washington, a frequent critic of how social studies is taught in American schools.

    …”It’s not fair. Why should it be singled out black? Why can’t it be Polish, or German or Mexican?” asked Theresa Barraza, whose daughter is a second grader at Anne Frank School. “I’ll put her in a Catholic school.”

    Shouldn’t the Anne Frank school mandate a year of Jewish-American studies? Or how ’bout Italian-American studies in South Philly? They could do a whole week of Rocky movies.

    Just another reason to home educate.

    3 comments »

    3 Responses to “PC RUN AMOK”


    Comment by
    Gene
    June 10th, 2005
    at 5:11 pm

    Stalin said Hitler executed 5000 Polish officers and everyone in the world believed him.

    There was some documentation released in 1993 with Stalin’s signature on it ordering these executions.

    Did the g-schools ever bother to update their textbooks to reflect this monumental change in history as we knew it pre-1993?

    Comment by
    Annette
    June 10th, 2005
    at 5:24 pm

    Polish history sounds good to me (although I’m not polish).
    In Maine a few years ago, it was Native American education. I think it was a half a year. Hsers don’t have to teach it. Although, there is a little disagreement about that. I thought with multi-culturalism ALL history was studied. I think it’s more of a politically correct move than making sure it’s taught.
    Annette Jurczak

    Comment by
    Gene
    June 10th, 2005
    at 6:41 pm

    I read a study recently that stated locking culturely diverse kids together in school all day made them irrate with each other and that people were more accepting of differences in others when it isn’t forced on them.

    It makes a lot of sense when you think about it. How many people enjoy a short visit from out-of-town family members and start to get annoyed when the stay is too long.

    With all the NEA’s good intentions, the study basically said the multiculturalism forced on society in g-school is throwing gas on the fire they are somewhat responsible for starting in the first place. Thomas Sowell in “The Quest For Cosmic Justice” has some very interesting comments on this topic.