The Hypocrisy of Teaching American History Essay -- American History

The Hypocrisy of Teaching American HistoryReading, writing and arithmetic, these three subjects are the basic outline for American schools. In those subjects, where does account statement fit in? Some believe that teachers avoid history because of how corrupt America has been. James W. Loewen, author of Lies My Teacher Told Me, says, Parents may feel undermined when children bring in tools of information not available to adults and use them in ways that seem to threaten adult-held values. (Loewen 296.) The adults had to learn the same false history children are being taught today. By teaching children the truth about history, are adults risking the authority they hold along with adult-held values?Learning social studies is to no small extent, learning to be stupid. (LMTTM 298.) What happens when history teachers and textbooks lie? Not only will the children grow up to be uneducated, but theyll continue to teach the same lies to their own children. The excuse most teachers use, cor respond to Loewen, is they feel they are supposed to defend and endorse America. (LMTTM 289.) If teachers told students about Woodrow Wilson being racist, Columbus forcing Indians into slavery, or how the FBI worked against the civil rights movement then children would be too aware(predicate) of how the world works. Is this necessarily a bad thing? No, because the truth is always better than a lie, regardless of how ugly it may be. In order to be a truly good American, children must learn this countrys true his...