Why do we teach little kids lies?

[Dan Severn]

I remember in my kindergarten, and all the way up to 6th grade, we were fed complete horsecrap when it came to history. (Columbus wanted to prove the world was round, The pilgrims of the Mayflower landed at plymouth rock, The early settlers and Indians gwere friendly toward eachother, The Revolutionary war was won easily, none of the founding fathers owned slaves, The indians were all peaceful innocent civilians, et cetera)

Why do schools teach children falsehoods which they must then overcome in later grades? Taking the Columbus example, is this because they think a child who can imagine a man going around the world cannot imagine a man wanting to make trade? Is it just me, or does this practice seem entirely idiotic?

[Asher]

You live in Texas, Dan.

[Dan Severn]

They teach the same BS everywhere in the US.

[Dauphin]

If that is true, I now understand why Americans are so messed up in understanding the rest of the world.

Although, I went to an American junior school, I don't remember learning such erroneous facts.

[Asher]

When I went to a public school in California for four years I also never learned such erroneous facts...

[Dan Severn]

Yes, well, when the intelligent, well-trained patriot marksmen saw the illiterate redcoats coming, they had no trouble decimating the British army and sent them running home on the fourth of July.

That's what they teach in elementary (1-4).

[Asher]

I think the bigger problem is the lack of sufficient sex ed in American schools.

[Dan Severn]

Originally posted by Asher
I think the bigger problem is the lack of sufficient sex ed in American schools.

Kids can figure out how to have sex on their own.

History, on the other hand, is not such an inborn subject.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Dan Severn
Kids can figure out how to have sex on their own.

History, on the other hand, is not such an inborn subject.

History isn't nearly as important as sex ed. You think most of these kids give a damn about what happened 300 years ago? It's in one ear and out the other for most of them.

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by Dan Severn
Yes, well, when the intelligent, well-trained patriot marksmen saw the illiterate redcoats coming, they had no trouble decimating the British army and sent them running home on the fourth of July.

That's what they teach in elementary (1-4).

I was taught that the American colonials bravely fought against the odds to gain independence.

Not even The Patriot, a film with infinite capacity to rewrite history, claimed what you have said is being taught.

[Dan Severn]

Originally posted by Asher

You think most of these kids give a damn about what happened 300 years ago? It's in one ear and out the other for most of them.

That's because they're stupid, not because it isn't important.

SG, The Patriot is not a first grade teacher. 'Nuff said.

[*End Is Forever*]

And there I was thinking this was going to be another religion thread...

[Dr Strangelove]

I don't recall being taught any of the lies you were taught. We learned about the conflict between the settlers of colonial Virginia and the Indians even in 3rd grade. No one ever denied that Jefferson, Washington, and etc. owned slaves, and no one ever claimed that the revolutionary War was easy.


Now when it came to the Civil War, its cause and etc., then they handed us a load of malarky, but no more malarky than the average adult Southerner accepts about the Civil War.

[SlowwHand]

Re: Why do we teach little kids lies?

Originally posted by Dan Severn
I remember in my kindergarten, and all the way up to 6th grade, we were fed complete horsecrap when it came to history. (Columbus wanted to prove the world was round, The pilgrims of the Mayflower landed at plymouth rock, The early settlers and Indians gwere friendly toward eachother, The Revolutionary war was won easily, none of the founding fathers owned slaves, The indians were all peaceful innocent civilians, et cetera)

Why do schools teach children falsehoods which they must then overcome in later grades? Taking the Columbus example, is this because they think a child who can imagine a man going around the world cannot imagine a man wanting to make trade? Is it just me, or does this practice seem entirely idiotic?

I don't know where you went to school, Dan; but they did a poor job.
I went from Grade 1 through a B.A. in Business Administration Mgmt. , all of it located in Texas, and ran into none of what you're saying.

Columbus proving the world was round, for instance.
You have to be joking, surely.
Maybe it's time-frame of going to school, but I wouldn't think so.
Not seeing as how you all are so much more articulate than my generation; to say nothing of suave and debonair.

Of course, it could be like what they say about not trying to teach a pig to sing.
It will only irritate you, and piss-off the pig.

[Dr Strangelove]

Besides, who cares about the Pilgrims, they were late comers. What were the names of the ships that carried the 1607 expedition of The Virginia Company to Virginia, and where did they land?