Gone?
image of the Jefferson Memorial here
"Its soul, its climate, its equality, liberty, laws, people, and manners.
My god! how little do my countrymen
know what precious blessings they are in possession of,
and which no other people on earth enjoy!"
image from the Library of Congress
HOW CHRISTIAN WERE THE FOUNDING FATHERS? NYTIMES MAGAZINE HERE , A MUST READ
The Texas Board of Education has removed Thomas Jefferson and the influence of the Enlightenment from the Texas curriculum, "replacing him with religious right icon John Calvin."
from AP reporter April Castro
AUSTIN, Texas — A far-right faction of the Texas State Board of Education succeeded Friday in injecting conservative ideals into social studies, history and economics lessons that will be taught to millions of students for the next decade.
Teachers in Texas will be required to cover the Judeo-Christian influences of the nation's Founding Fathers, but not highlight the philosophical rationale for the separation of church and state. Curriculum standards also will describe the U.S. government as a "constitutional republic," rather than "democratic," and students will be required to study the decline in value of the U.S. dollar, including the abandonment of the gold standard.
Following three days of impassioned and acrimonious debate, the board gave preliminary approval to the new standards with a 10-5 party line vote. A final vote is expected in May, after a public comment period that could produce additional amendments and arguments.- April Castro AP reporter
Board member Cynthia Dunbar wants to change a standard having students study the impact of Enlightenment ideas on political revolutions from 1750 to the present. She wants to drop the reference to Enlightenment ideas (replacing with “the writings of”) and to Thomas Jefferson. She adds Thomas Aquinas and others. Jefferson’s ideas, she argues, were based on other political philosophers listed in the standards.
The board approves the amendment, taking Thomas Jefferson OUT of the world history standards.
Here is what the Library of Congress says about Jefferson’s influence: “Recognized in Europe as the author of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson quickly became a focal point or lightning rod for revolutionaries in Europe and the Americas.” The Library of Congress notes, in particular, Jefferson’s influence on revolutionaries in France (including on the Declaration of the Rights of Man), other European nations, South America and Haiti.
No Declaration of Independence?
Gone
image from here
University of Virginia ?
Non existent?
University of Virginia image from here
Enlighten the people generally, and
tyranny and oppressions of the body
and mind will vanish like the evil spirits
at the dawn of the day.
Thomas Jefferson
tyranny and oppressions of the body
and mind will vanish like the evil spirits
at the dawn of the day.
Thomas Jefferson
No West?
Gone
there goes Texas-
image of the West here
Gone?
image of Jefferson's first sketch of Monticello here
No Enlightenment?
Gone
Monticello Library image from here
Jefferson- to ENLIGHTENED for TEXAS? Can you imagine life without his influences? America without his influence? Texas can-
image of Mount Rushmore here
JEFFERSON and the ENLIGHTENMENT here
TFN Blogging about the Social Studies Debate here
Jefferson here
.
