The Texas School Book Depository

I have long advised/ warned students to trust no textbook publisher, biographer, or teacher...everything learned about history deserves a thorough scrutiny and analysis of primary sources, context, understanding the lens, etc. and here is why...

The state of Texas (IMO, politicians and education policy are a dangerous mix) has recently purchased 5 million brand new history textbooks to be distributed statewide. But, will these books teach an accurate and comprehensive (not to mention critical thinking, critical consciousness, social activism, etc.) view of American History or a myopic, riddled with half-truths and blatant omissions Texas-centric view?   "Thankfully", McGraw-Hill Publishing Company states (is this supposed to comfort us?) that they made these books especially for the state of Texas ($$$) and no other state will receive this version of their text.

Can any of this really surprise us when Texas Republicans voted to ban the teaching of critical thinking skills in 2012?


"We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills, critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority."

Following are some of the reported updates/ revisions to the "Whitewashed History of Texas".

A few examples of Texas "History"

• Texas-Mexico lessons are "interesting" at best.
• The Civil War was primarily fought over states' rights, sectionalism...slavery is downplayed as a secondary cause.
• Certain aspects of slavery weren't necessarily bad...the "good master" theory...the benefits of so-called religion. 
• Slavery is compared to immigration of workers.
• There is no mention of the Ku Klux Klan and other White Power terrorist organizations.
• There is no mention of the Black Codes or Jim Crow Laws.

Black Rain

"Black Rain"

Imagine a day like any other day - the regular routine - waking up, eating, school/ work, homework, etc...the uneventful, tedious, monotonous "black and white" moments of everyday life interrupted by a sudden, powerful, traumatic "full color" life changing disruption...

You avoid the "mushroom cloud" forming in the distance, but yet you can't run from the chaos of the blast or it's black rain.

"Grave of the Fireflies"

Black Rain (quite often very radioactive) is formed from the enormous amount of airborne materials combined with heat/ upward thermal currents produced from bombings.

This "rain" fell as the fallout particles mixed with carbon residue and high altitude moisture to produce a sticky, dark, and very dangerous rain.

"Black Rain on White Wall"

on display at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial 

As we view the atomic bombs (or for that matter war in the Middle East, drone attacks, global suffering, terrorism, police brutality, etc.) from the safe distance of books, classroom notes, video, CNN, etc. we should remind ourselves (and never forget) that true humanity can not allow a safe, respectable distance from black rain.

"The bomb that fell on Hiroshima fell on America too. It fell on no city, no munition plants, no docks.  It erased no church, vaporized no public buildings, reduced no man to his atomic elements.  But it fell, it fell."

Yamato-damashii

Recently in class, we listened to/ studied the Japanese American Nisei Units of WWII.  A word (Yamato-damashii) was used to describe their willingness to die for America in spite of the fact that their families were being held as prisoners of war in Japanese Internment Camps.

Yamato-damashii 

Yamato-damashii is a Japanese term loosely translated the "Japanese Spirit" or "Japanese Soul"...which manifests itself as a plethora of virtues.

• An "Indomitable Spirit" based on family and community harmony
• To think of yourself as unique, distinct, great
• Common-sense/ "real life" wisdom
• Resourcefulness and good judgment
• Bravery and resolve
•  A willingness to sacrifice one's life
• A resolute faith
• Persistence and competitive vigilance to always try harder

Do any of our words (maybe the idea of Collective Unconsciousness) do justice to the concept, imagery, and deep expression of Yamato-damashii...was there ever an "Indomitable American Spirit" based on family and community harmony or was it just a dream?

"If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for...he isn't fit to live." 

Over the Rainbow

Later this week, our students will attempt the daunting task of performing the all-time classic The Wizard of Oz in our annual spring musical...break a leg!

Listen to "Over the Rainbow"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSZxmZmBfnU

Early in the story as Dorothy (Minnesota's own Judy Garland) longs to escape her dusty and dreary life in Kansas she sings "Over the Rainbow".  The music was written by Harold Arlen and the lyrics by Yip Harpburg (especially famous for their previous hit "Brother, Can You Spare A Dime" and many other collaborated hits).

Did you know?

• Shirley Temple was pursued to replace Garland for the part of Dorothy...but, was unable to be released from her contract with another movie studio or hit the range of notes in the song.

• The lyrics had many interpretive meanings especially political and religious...a prophetic hope that FDR's "New Deal" program would deliver the country out of The Great Depression and Dorothy longing for an escape from Kansas and her tough circumstances to go to heaven.

• In order to reduce the 2+ hour movie down to 90 minutes, MGM executives attempted to cut the "long, slow moving and too sad song" out of the movie during the second editing of the film. This led to a firestorm of criticism...the producers of the film argued passionately to keep "Over the Rainbow" in the film and threatened to quit the film if MGM executives cut it. Louis B. Mayer (Executive Head of MGM) finally stopped the argument when he announced to the whole room... 

"Let the boys have their damn song!"

• Ironically in 2001, the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts named "the song that nearly got cut" the #1 "Song of the Century".

Lessons from Paulo Freire

Paulo Freire
1921-1997

In 2016, when memory is being erased (or not even formed)...

Students (and many others) don't know the difference between the Korean War and the Vietnam War or The Civil War and Reconstruction, John Brown and Nathan Bedford Forrest (I could go on and on and usually do!), or the difference between various political ideologies...or fail to ponder the "humaneness" of drone warfare...or know the historical background of our involvement in worldwide colonialism/ imperialism and its effect on current events...or appreciate the importance of public values/ morality or civic responsibility, etc.

In 2016, when students and teachers (and many others) lack the motivation/ skills to...

Define critical thinking (even though our #1 goal in public education is to develop critical thinking skills...sarcasm mine), or contemplate topics such as Intersectionality/ Matrix of Domination, or foster a social consciousness/ activism mindset, etc.

In 2016, when public schools across the nation...

have sold out/ are under siege of corporate influence, focus mainly on "accountability" and so-called "excellence" geared toward conformity and high-stakes testing (our state is MCA standardized testing today), and have become (IMO) intellectual dead zones and B.F. Skinner-like punishment centers.

Isn't it time that we heed the wisdom of Paulo Freire (he hated menu-like solutions) to...

• govern our choices by principle.
• recognize oppressive and authoritarian tendencies in our society.
• develop agency and voice by connecting knowledge/ truth to power.
• develop agency and voice through "reading the world". 
• develop a consciousness of humanity and true democracy.
• challenge the assumptions of "conventional wisdom/ history".

The Vulture

Gil Scott-Heron

1949-2011

It is no secret that I love the poetry/ music of Gil Scott-Heron....


The Vulture

Standing in the ruins of another Black man's life,
or flying through the valley separating day and night.
"I am death," cried the Vulture. "For the people of the light."

Charon brought his raft from the sea that sails on souls,
and saw the scavenger departing, taking warm hearts to the cold.
He knew the ghetto was a haven for the meanest creature ever known.

In a wilderness of heartbreak and a desert of despair,
Evil's clarion of justice shrieks a cry of naked terror,
taking babies from their mommas, leaving grief beyond compare.

So if you see the Vulture coming, flying circles in your mind,
Remember there is no escaping for he will follow close behind.

Only promise me a battle, a battle for your soul and mine!

Listen to "The Vulture" (1:40)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuYh85VyooY

IMO, this poem is as poignant today as it was in 1970 and in my humble opinion The Vulture still represents "the meanest creature ever known."

Evil's clarion of justice...leaving grief beyond compare:

Systemic discrimination and oppression
Economic and political disenfranchisement
The Prison Industrial Complex
Drug and alcohol addiction
The Drug "War" killing a generation of young men
Extreme and hopeless generational poverty
Violent and indiscriminate street gangs
Police Profiling and Brutality
Low expectation "credit factory" high schools
Building of walls and Deportation
Self-hatred...
Agony, Despair and Rage

The revolution will not be televised...only promise me a battle, a battle for your soul.

Scott Nearing:The Great Madness

Scott Nearing

1883-1983

My thoughts on The Great Madness and the 2016 "Humanitarian-Precision" Death of Drone Warfare and calls for carpet bombing our "enemies"...

In 1918 the United States government indicted Scott Nearing (a pacifist, political activist, socialist, economist, etc.) for publishing an article entitled The Great Madness: A Victory for the American Plutocracy, on the charge that it interfered with the government's ability to recruit soldiers for WWI.

Excerpts from The Great Madness:

The plutocracy welcomed the war not because it was a war, but because it meant a chance to get a stronger grip on the United States.

Things at home were in bad shape and promising to get worse. Millions of people were sore on the system which fed the owner and starved the worker; millions of casual laborers - men and women wandered from job to job; from city to city, discouraged, homeless, indifferent. People no longer asked, "Will there be a revolution?" but, "When will the revolution come?"

The plutocrats had lost public confidence. They realized that if they were to hold their position - public confidence must be regained.  How could the plutocracy - the discredited, vilified plutocracy - get public opinion? There was only one way: it must line up with some cause that would command public confidence. The cause that it chose was the "defense of the United States."

The plutocracy spread terror over the land!

"Patriotism" was the refrain of every speech and every article - a patriotism of their own particular brand.  The plutocratic brand of patriotism won the endorsement of the press, the pulpit, the college, and every other important channel of public information in the United States. The "educated," "cultured," "refined," "high-principled" editors, ministers, professors and lawyers accepted it and proclaimed it as though it were their own. Turning their backs upon principle, throwing morals and ideals to the winds, they tumbled over one another in a wild scramble to be the first to join the chorus of plutocratic patriotism.

The people were not consulted (on a declaration of war), their wishes were not considered.

And the American people stood for it. Emotionalized, dazed, stupefied, and blinded by the great madness that possessed their souls, nearly a hundred million people cast aside their most cherished principles, sacrificed their hard-won liberties, and began spreading brotherhood and democracy by the sword. The plutocracy had won everything for which it had been fighting - immunity, power, wealth. The people were war-mad, - at least, there was enough of the war madness in the country to enable the vested interests to put across anything that they wanted.

Beside and beyond this economic, political and social power the Plutocracy had millions of deluded people in its grip incapable of thinking because of the fearful war madness that possessed their souls.  They aroused the people, agitating and irritating them, until they were frantically repeating the blatant lie that the real enemy of American liberty lived in Berlin. Then they stung them with high prices, filched their liberty, plunged them into war, took a million of their brothers and husbands and sons to wage a war of aggression on the battlefields of king-ridden Europe, and because nothing happened at once, they believe that they had won. They had won victory and death.

The plutocracy and the democracy cannot exist side by side. If the plutocracy wins, dollars rule; if the democracy wins, people rule.

There can be no alternative and no compromise.