Jane Robbins of the American Principles Project writes concerning the recent changes to the AP History courses in an article recently published by the Heartland Institute. The article, “New Advancement Placement Framework Distorts American History,” focuses on the change and “is best described as a curricular coup that sets a number of dangerous precedents.” These precedents include a negative view of American History and ignores the United States’ founding principles and their influence of democracy and the role it played in abolishing slavery. Robbins says, A particularly troubling failure of the Framework is its dismissal of the Declaration of Independence and the principles so eloquently expressed there. The Framework’s entire discussion of this seminal document consists of just one phrase in one sentence: “The colonists’ belief in the superiority of republican self-government based on the natural rights of the people found its clearest American expression in Thomas Paine’s Common Sense and in the Declaration of Independence.” The Framework thus ignores the philosophical underpinnings of the Declaration and the willingness of the signers to pledge “our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor” to the cause of freedom. The Framework also sidesteps any discussion of the personalities and achievements of American giants whose courage and conviction helped build our country. It excises Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, and the other founders from the United States’ story. George Washington’s historical contributions are reduced to a brief sentence fragment noting his Farewell Address. Two pages later, the Framework grants teachers the flexibility to discuss the architecture of Spanish missions, which presumably merits more attention than the heroes of 1776. The Framework consistently highlights negative events while ignoring positive achievements. For example, although it does not mention the sacrifices U.S. civilians and armed forces made to defeat fascism, it does recommend that teachers focus on “[w]artime experiences, such as the internment of Japanese Americans, challenges to civil liberties, debates over race and segregation, and the decision to drop the atomic bomb [which] raised questions about American values.” wyomingagainstcommoncore.wordpress/2014/03/28/ap-history-changes-lean-towards-a-negative-american-perspective/
Posted on: Tue, 08 Apr 2014 03:44:29 +0000
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