Lawmakers in Oklahoma (might) ban AP History

[World Eater]

http://thinkprogress.org/education/2015/02/17/3623683/oklahoma-lawmakers-vote-overwhleming-ban-advanced-placement-history-class/

An Oklahoma legislative committee overwhelmingly voted to ban Advanced Placement U.S. History class, persuaded by the argument that it only teaches students “what is bad about America.” Other lawmakers are seeking a court ruling that would effectively prohibit the teaching of all AP courses in public schools.

Oklahoma Rep. Dan Fisher (R) has introduced “emergency” legislation “prohibiting the expenditure of funds on the Advanced Placement United States History course.” Fisher is part of a group called the “Black Robe Regiment” which argues “the church and God himself has been under assault, marginalized, and diminished by the progressives and secularists.” The group attacks the “false wall of separation of church and state.” The Black Robe Regiment claims that a “growing tide of special interest groups indoctrinating our youth at the exclusion of the Christian perspective.”

What the actual fuck. I'm laughing and seething with rage.

[Suicune]

There is no reason to ban a completely optional program such as AP. What benefit would there be to ban other courses like psychology, statistics, or English literature? None. It's only shooting the kids in the foot by limiting their options and essentially forcing them to find an AP equivalent outside of school or pay full price in college for the credit they could be earning.

I'm not surprised, just disappointed. I feel sorry for the Oklahoma teens who actually want to get ahead in their education.

[Stronk Serb]

What? We learn all stuff that are bad about our country but we also learn the good stuff. If it was banned here in Serbia, I'd be the first to protest since history is a subject which betters my average grade. Those who do not know of the past are doomed to repeat it.

[Thunderstorm]

HA! I take APUSH and as much as I would love for it to be easier, I would never want it banned. That's why these Southerners are so uneducated, the state governments don't want to spend the money on education. Governor Brownbeck of Kansas pulled money from the schools to build agricultural centers... IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

I don't think the AP board will let this happen. They are an extremely powerful testing committee, and are very favored by schools. I don't think banning AP is quite right (although, it is probably legal).

[thatcountrykid]

HA! I take APUSH and as much as I would love for it to be easier, I would never want it banned. That's why these Southerners are so uneducated, the state governments don't want to spend the money on education. Governor Brownbeck of Kansas pulled money from the schools to build agricultural centers... IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

I don't think the AP board will let this happen. They are an extremely powerful testing committee, and are very favored by schools. I don't think banning AP is quite right (although, it is probably legal).

Wow... I mean yes school is important but agriculture is extremely necessary and if it doesn't go to school it should go there.

[Thunderstorm]

Wow... I mean yes school is important but agriculture is extremely necessary and if it doesn't go to school it should go there.

Well, the governor there took the money FROM the schools and put it towards agriculture. Agriculture is really not necessary anymore. Not that much money should be funded for it. Education is much more important.

[phuckphace]

I wouldn't read too much into this, it's just more culture-war wish fulfillment by people who are upset that their old society is dying but powerless to stop it.

Okies would prefer nobody find about how many meth labs, violent crimes and high numbers of welfare recipients their state is plagued with. I lived in Oklahoma for a good portion of my life and this state is basically a lost cause, and it gets a lot worse than what they're doing with AP curriculae. their pseudocon politicians like Tom Coburn like to de-fund state institutions and then point to them as examples of government failure. he likes to bitch about abortion but won't actually lift a finger to do anything about it (that's socialist, like Obama).

[thatcountrykid]

Well, the governor there took the money FROM the schools and put it towards agriculture. Agriculture is really not necessary anymore. Not that much money should be funded for it. Education is much more important.

Just answer this. Where does you're food come from?

[Thunderstorm]

Just answer this. Where does you're food come from?

I eat a lot of junk food so it's all processed and artificially made in factories.

[SethfromMI]

what a dumb idea. I took the class last year and if anything, it tells both dies of the story often pretty well, at least my teacher did

[thatcountrykid]

I eat a lot of junk food so it's all processed and artificially made in factories.

Well good for you but that's not food people need to live and the ingredients for junk food comes from farms and agriculture is also livestock, not just plants.

[Elysium]

God forbid we accept the fact that America's history is anything short of a shining utopia.

[CharlieHorse]

Oh shit.
The kids will lose the belief that their country isn't the perfect god-blessed land that we have instilled in them!
We must BAN the education!

Or people could wake up and realize that History is History.
If the US is ashamed of its history, then damn good. Like any country, the US has hidden in its history a lot of shit that people don't like to believe existed. Preventing the education of such history is awfully like an oppressive totalitarian government, and we all know how those go.

People have a right to know the truth about the country they live in, pay taxes to, contribute to, and their soldiers die for.

[Thunderstorm]

Oh shit.
The kids will lose the belief that their country isn't the perfect god-blessed land that we have instilled in them!
We must BAN the education!

Or people could wake up and realize that History is History.
If the US is ashamed of its history, then damn good. Like any country, the US has hidden in its history a lot of shit that people don't like to believe existed. Preventing the education of such history is awfully like an oppressive totalitarian government, and we all know how those go.

People have a right to know the truth about the country they live in, pay taxes to, contribute to, and their soldiers die for.

Exactly. Should we be teaching our kids lies like other countries? I think not.

Anyways, I don't know if you've taken APUSH, but I take it and who the hell thought it was negative? It only points out America's strong spots!

[SethfromMI]

Exactly. Should we be teaching our kids lies like other countries? I think not.

Anyways, I don't know if you've taken APUSH, but I take it and who the hell thought it was negative? It only points out America's strong spots!

my teacher is an honest teacher. the book we used is def very pro USA, but we actually had a lot of discussion, read additional articles, etc. our summer assignment was a long article about all the terrible things Columbus did.