The past few weeks, I have attempted to keep up with the growing controversy related to the new AP US History curriculum put into effect this year. One reason is because, well, I love history and am a total dork about it. But, the second and more poignant reason is the fact that 500 kids walked out of their high schools in Colorado to protest their school boards attempts to "monitor" the course curriculum and materials, as well as censor the general gist of what they felt needs to be emphasized. Additionally, having been blessed with a TA-ship in grad school, in the Ethnic Studies department no less, the consequences of such controversy has a tremendous amount of importance to the future generations of our country, and their ability to learn, thrive, and more importantly critically think in more ways than one.
If you are unfamiliar with the issue, to put it simply, most conservatives hate the new curriculum believing it is too "America Hating" and the liberals are offended by this notion and I believe rightly so. During my brief stint in the Ethnic Studies department, I encountered a bitter hatred for hearing the stories that make up our America as we know it today. For every over-achiever or apathetic soul (they were mandatory credits) who I encountered there was one hostile individual who refused to even remotely acknowledged parts of history, completely on to the fact that I was a subversive individual hell bent on destroying America's reputation by spreading lies about how we treated Native Americans and later on immigrants. (I was being facetious with that last part.) As someone who loves to learn and believes intellectual curiosity to be the utmost virtue, I was completely and utterly insulted by these haunting souls. Even more so, I was saddened by the fact that they would not debate/discuss their own idea in discussion with me, that they took facts and evidence as flippant suggestions, and that they were totally never going to achieve what I feel is the most important goal of college. Critical thinking and confronting uncomfortable situations with the poise, grace and intellectual capability of Edmund Burke. (Ok that last one is a pipe dream, even for me) Critical thinking competency serves us well in our everyday lives, it is essential to our success and survival in our present world. What better way to develop this skill than in the humanities?
In my personal life I have made many horrible mistakes, now I might not have given a native population highly susceptible to the outside world's diseases blankets that were riddled with small pox germs, but there are plenty of situations I am still disappointed in myself with if not out right embarrassed by. But, I learn from them, still. Acknowledging these past mistakes means that in the present, as well as future, I can recall and learn for them. They remain in the recesses of my mind, ready to be pulled to the forefront when confronted by an uncomfortable situation to remind me of how better to conduct myself with understanding and humility. If we do not acknowledge faults within ourselves, we are forever doomed to behave the same, not matter our outcomes. No matter where we want to go or what we want to do. Our great nation is no different. We are a young country compared to many and like most there have been bumps along the way. But there have also been amazing times of greatness.
So the College Board describes their new curriculum as a, "framework for conveying the content and skills typically required for college credit and placement." People of America, I taught your college student as a TA, they were no where near this goal as 19 and 20 year old sophomores. I think it is a great goal for kids who want to take the extra steps of taking AP classes. However, many conservative groups across the country see it differently. To say they are threatened by this is so comically short sighted in the realm of anti-intellectualism, I would laugh if it did not shatter my heart to its true and utter core. I have always found this line of thinking distasteful because it follows a well rehearsed path of criticism that is totally paradoxical to critical thinking in and of itself. A good example the proposal, thankfully tabled, by a school board in Colorado after the student protest. It included a review of the text and course plans to ensure that they, "promote citizenship, patriotism, essentials and benefits of the free-market system, respect for authority and respect for individual rights." Ironically it would seem they are seeking to replace what they believe to be one ideological doctrine with another. I can just picture Barry Goldwater nodding with approval from his grave.
That is the crux of my whole argument. You can no more "teach" or indoctrinate a student on citizenship, patriotism, or blind obedience to authority than you can make fish live on land and a deer under water. These are concepts borne from our everyday experiences in life reconciled with the knowledge we obtain, be it at home, in the neighborhood, at school, in history class or math class. They ebb and flow through our minds to varying degrees year after year, month after month. I consider myself extremely lucky to be born in America, despite its history. I know it is a great country and that is why I am patriotic. I love my neighborhood and the people I deal with, which is why I in turn strive to be a good steward of citizenship. I also value our government, which is why I will never adhere to blind obedience to authority. It is a grave mistake to dispossess the youth of our nation the ability to develop their own thoughts and ideas based on their private experiences and grasp of the knowledge they receive. We cannot fear knowledge or intellectual curiosity obtained through our own devices. It will be the downfall of our great experiment.
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