Should We Teach Patriotism in Schools
SHOULD WE TEACH PATRIOTIC EDUCTION IN US SCHOOLS?
Philosophic education is non-debatable. There is no difference between Christian and Muslim physics or upper and lower class biology (Galston, 1998, p. 470). However, civic education and its purpose served will always be debated. Civic education is about the formation of individuals who can effectively conduct their livers within their political community. Civic education in a liberal democracy will differ from a civic education in a communist regime (Galston, 1998, p. 471). In our liberal democracy there is a lingering controversial educational topic. Should we teach patriotic history and teach patriotism in our schools? Politicians, professors of higher education, parents, students, and citizens should all have a vested interest in these two issues. Intelligent people can have rational view points for each reason.
Nothing is pure in what is being taught in our civic education classes. There are many external forces that will shape our history lessons. The state board of education will decide on what is being taught in an 8th grade history class. The state board of education is influence by many stakeholders. However, often times it is the states with larger populations that will determine what textbooks the smaller border states will use for their history curriculum. States with large populations, such as Texas and California, determine what facts and stories they want to teach in their classes. The smaller states that border on the Texas line will be taught the conservative natured history lessons that middle school students in Texas will learn
America is a melting pot with many different races, religions, and political views. Our history lessons are continuously challenged by different viewpoints. The majority will generally be satisfied with certain points taught or left out in history lessons; however the minority will often be opposed. It will be difficult to achieve neutrality and balance to all
Philosophic education is non-debatable. There is no difference between Christian and Muslim physics or upper and lower class biology (Galston, 1998, p. 470). However, civic education and its purpose served will always be debated. Civic education is about the formation of individuals who can effectively conduct their livers within their political community. Civic education in a liberal democracy will differ from a civic education in a communist regime (Galston, 1998, p. 471). In our liberal democracy there is a lingering controversial educational topic. Should we teach patriotic history and teach patriotism in our schools? Politicians, professors of higher education, parents, students, and citizens should all have a vested interest in these two issues. Intelligent people can have rational view points for each reason.
Nothing is pure in what is being taught in our civic education classes. There are many external forces that will shape our history lessons. The state board of education will decide on what is being taught in an 8th grade history class. The state board of education is influence by many stakeholders. However, often times it is the states with larger populations that will determine what textbooks the smaller border states will use for their history curriculum. States with large populations, such as Texas and California, determine what facts and stories they want to teach in their classes. The smaller states that border on the Texas line will be taught the conservative natured history lessons that middle school students in Texas will learn
America is a melting pot with many different races, religions, and political views. Our history lessons are continuously challenged by different viewpoints. The majority will generally be satisfied with certain points taught or left out in history lessons; however the minority will often be opposed. It will be difficult to achieve neutrality and balance to all
Bibliography: Harry Brighouse, “Introduction” and “Educating for Self-Government” in On Education (London: Routledge, 2006), pp. 1-26. Robert K. Fullinwider, “Patriotic History,” in Public Education in a Multicultural Society: Policy, Theory, Critique, ed. Robert K. Fullinwider (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1996), pp. 203-230. William Galston, “Civic Education in the Liberal State,” in Philosophers on Education: New Historical Perspectives, ed. Amelie Rorty (New York: Routledge, 1998), pp. 470-479). Goldberg, E. (December, 20, 2011). US Ranked Most Charitable Country on Earth. Huffington Post. Retrieved December 1, 2012, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/19/world-giving-index-us-ran_n_1159562.html