Study in Stupidity
In middle school no assignment is fitter
Than the study of historical figures.
But in D.C. they’ve assigned
Seventh graders to find
Comparisons between George W. Bush and Hitler!
In middle school no assignment is fitter
Than the study of historical figures.
But in D.C. they’ve assigned
Seventh graders to find
Comparisons between George W. Bush and Hitler!
The Texas GOP’s declarative position against critical thinking in public schools, or any schools, for that matter, is now an official part of their political platform. It is public record in the Republican Party of Texas 2012 platform [PDF, p. 13]. With regard to critical thinking, the Republican Party of Texas document states:
“Knowledge-Based Education – We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.” [PDF, p. 20).
Yes, challenging beliefs or claims is considered insubordinate, immoral and could lead to rebellion, disobedience or perhaps worse: revolution. For the Republican Party and their followers, thinking is subversive, imagination is a sin and the Republican Party in Texas and elsewhere is working to codify this into public policy. The plutocrats can’t have a working-class citizenry that is asking questions of those in power, be they parents or bosses; instead, the people must be taught the ideology of what is morally acceptable, what rules and regulations to follow. and even more importantly, how to accept and internalize hierarchical authoritarianism. Critical thinking is a direct challenge to the “leaders” and their claims on authority, and any opposition to vertical arrangements is ethically unacceptable to those in power.
The Republican Party runs Texas with virtually no opposition, so what the state GOP demands in its platform, it will get.
But in this case, and so many others, Republicans are simply making stuff up to bolster their flimsy logic.