Letter to Editor of Detroit News by Wayne Ross Today's The Detroit News editorial (http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060613/OPINION01/606130312&SearchID=73248166280814) "Take the bias out of history teaching," illustrates that the Florida The News believes that asking students to "analyze how ownership and
use of automobiles in the United States has contributed to natural
resource scarcity and global warming" amounts to "political
indoctrination."
The paper also argues that the inclusion "world population change,
urbanization, the suburbs, land use policy, food and energy, plants
and animals -- even the West Nile virus," in the state geography
standards amounts to "environmental indoctrination." The News admits
that global warming is an "important public policy issue" but argues
that it has no place in the social studies curriculum.
(The paper does allow that "Discussing or debating environmental
issues might make sense in a science class.")
The News also does not believe that the Cuban missle crisis should
have a part in the study of the Cold War and that asking students how
events like the Great Depression "affected different groups of people
in different ways with respect to migration, economics, social
justice and politics" makes for a slanted curriculum.
It's clear that like the Florida legislature (and other right-wing
groups) The News is not interested in the social studies teaching
that encourages students to actually think about issues that affect
their world.
This is another example of the incredibly shrinking political
spectrum in the US and it does not bode well for democracy or free
throught in American society.
E. Wayne Ross
Professor
Department of Curriculum Studies
University of British Columbia
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4
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