How do we 'Take out the Negatives'?

Check out this clip from last year's meeting of the Texas State School Board.





This year Texas has adopted new social studies standards which have got many people, both in Texas and elsewhere, wondering if the process of curriculum hasn't gotten a bit too political. According to the Seattle Times (see the full article here), some of the more controversial changes in the new curriculum are-

• Downplay of the "rationale for separation of church and state", specifically requiring students to study the fact that those words were not in the Constitution
• "strengthened requirements on teaching the Judeo-Christian influences of the nation's Founding Fathers"
• "[requiring that] the U.S. government be referred to as a 'constitutional republic,' rather than 'democratic.'"
• Requiring students to "evaluate efforts by global organizations such as the United Nations to undermine U.S. sovereignty."
• And rejecting "language to modernize the classification of historic periods to B.C.E. (before common era) and C.E. (common era) from the traditional B.C. and A.D"

So why are people upset? Many have questioned the unabashedly political tone of the entire process wondering if board members really have the best interests of students at heart. One board member commented "we're an elected body, this is a political process. Outside that, go find yourself a benevolent dictator." This has to raise the question: does it make sense to have state school boards elected? Are we letting people decide what our children learn based on their own political agendas?

Teachers in other states, especially those who may not share the conservative views of the Texas board, have an interest at stake here as well. Not only will Texas educate a whopping 4.8 million students over the next ten years (the length of time before the next revision), but "The standards also will be used by textbook publishers nationwide who often develop materials for other states based on guidelines approved in Texas."

So, is it bad to take a critical approach to our history? Should we try and 'take out the negatives?' Or do we just hope that ten years from now the political climate in Texas is more moderate?