Is America Exceptional?
The Texas School Book Depository, wait that isn't it, the Texas Board of Education is writing a new social studies book. More so, deciding what topics or buzz words go in. This is important because the vast majority of education in the US is based on the recommendations of this board. Some items being debated are whether to write Barack Hussein Obama, Barack H. Obama or simply Barack Obama. Other questions are how America is viewed in the world and Americas origins and "exceptional" traits.
To simplify a few of the questions one can ask, 'how are the other Presidents names listed?', Obama should be no different than the others. The latter questions become more difficult. It is my opinion that as an educational system funded by US tax dollars it is an obligation to be objective but tilted in the upbringing of US students. These are students, the goal of the school system is not to indoctrinate one way or the other, but specifically not to push students away from having pride in their nation. As student become adults they learn one fact, that public education did not teach nearly enough. The idea behind public education is to hopefully instill a passion for learning in the student so that as they become an adult, they continue learning and educating themselves in society.
To answer the question of the whether the US is exceptional, you must create a baseline of what defines exceptional as far as a nation goes:
Is it territory owned?
Is it duration of survival?
Is it civil rights?
Is it economy?
Is it value?
Is it defense?
Is it world opinion?
Is it philanthropic endeavors?
Is it rules of law?
Is it citizen opinion?
Is it world opinion?
These are just a few of the questions you need to ask before making such a sweeping decision. However, that said, this does not mean you don't encourage and write about American pride in US school books. How can you not have pride in a nation that still, with all its faults, sets the world standard of achievement? How do you value the pride in a nation where the vast majority of citizens make up the wealthiest 10% in the world? How can you deny the sheer amount of aid and support in medicine, money, security that the US provides around the world? Who is the first nation called on in times of crisis, whether they be natural disasters, disease or war? Even with all the errors the United States of America has made over three centuries, all the unnecessary violence and corruption, the USA still sets a bar the world attempts to stand to.
To simplify a few of the questions one can ask, 'how are the other Presidents names listed?', Obama should be no different than the others. The latter questions become more difficult. It is my opinion that as an educational system funded by US tax dollars it is an obligation to be objective but tilted in the upbringing of US students. These are students, the goal of the school system is not to indoctrinate one way or the other, but specifically not to push students away from having pride in their nation. As student become adults they learn one fact, that public education did not teach nearly enough. The idea behind public education is to hopefully instill a passion for learning in the student so that as they become an adult, they continue learning and educating themselves in society.
To answer the question of the whether the US is exceptional, you must create a baseline of what defines exceptional as far as a nation goes:
Is it territory owned?
Is it duration of survival?
Is it civil rights?
Is it economy?
Is it value?
Is it defense?
Is it world opinion?
Is it philanthropic endeavors?
Is it rules of law?
Is it citizen opinion?
Is it world opinion?
These are just a few of the questions you need to ask before making such a sweeping decision. However, that said, this does not mean you don't encourage and write about American pride in US school books. How can you not have pride in a nation that still, with all its faults, sets the world standard of achievement? How do you value the pride in a nation where the vast majority of citizens make up the wealthiest 10% in the world? How can you deny the sheer amount of aid and support in medicine, money, security that the US provides around the world? Who is the first nation called on in times of crisis, whether they be natural disasters, disease or war? Even with all the errors the United States of America has made over three centuries, all the unnecessary violence and corruption, the USA still sets a bar the world attempts to stand to.
Comments
Post a Comment