The Texas School Board of Education dramatically changed future social studies curriculum with their textbook revision recommendations. Because Texas buys a lot of textbooks, they have a lot of influence over the content of those books. Gifted educators should be prepared to fill in some holes in history, but be warned: some of those holes may prove to be, as the saying goes, bigger than Texas.
The Mount Rushmore-Sized Hole Recommended by the Texas School Board
According to James McKinley's March 12, 2010 New York Times article, "Texas Conservatives Win Curriculum Change," the Texas School Board viewed the history curriculum with politically conservative eyes. Board member Don McLeroy is quoted in the article as saying,"We are adding balance. History has already been skewed. Academia is skewed too far to the left.” Apparently, the board intends to create balance by removing Thomas Jefferson from a list of historical thinkers who influenced revolutions.
Teachers can use curriculum compacting to create time to bring a study of Jefferson's philosophy's back into the classroom. One of the most comprehensive resources for Thomas Jefferson can be found on PBS's Thomas Jefferson site, which is meant to complement the Ken Burn's Jefferson documentary. The site has a teacher resource section that includes activities to deepen understanding about Jefferson's impact on different freedoms, including:
- political freedoms
- religious freedoms
- social freedoms
- intellectual freedoms
- personal freedoms.
One potential lesson could be based on a now-finished contest called "Picturing the Pursuit of Happiness." This contest can easily be translated into an assignment to take photos exemplifying Jefferson's famous phrase from the Declaration of Independence.
A Three Thomases Study as a Segue to Understanding Thomas Jefferson
An interesting addition to the textbooks is Thomas Aquinas, one of the people who replaced Thomas Jefferson. A study of Thomas Aquinas leads to two other Thomases, Thomas More and Thomas Jefferson, and looking at three of master influences of culture will be especially beneficial for gifted students who have an interest in civics.
Thomas Aquinas, an English theologian, was a primary influence on the great English statesman Thomas More. When students study Aquinas, they will undoubtedly learn about his Doctrine of Double Effect, which justifies harmful acts that will ultimately prove to be beneficial, such as justifying painful surgery to heal sick people. Gifted teachers can create a Three Thomases study to show the rippling waves of the Doctrine of Double Effect. Once students understand The Doctrine of Double Effect and Aquinas' religious influence in England, they are ready to move on to Thomas More, who will lead into Thomas Jefferson.
Moving From Thomas More to Thomas Jefferson
When Thomas More was a judge in England, he was, as Jasper Ridley writes on page 249 in The Statesman and the Saint, "absolutely incorruptible." He used the Doctrine of Double Effect in his decisions and interpretations, making decisions based on what he considered to be judicious and legal, even punishments were harsh or his decisions provoked the wrath of influential courtiers. As Chancellor of England, More used Aquinas' ideas that good outweighs harm to burn heretics, under strange logic, as he felt that what was harmful for their bodies could be good for their souls.
Teachers can then move a study of More into his famous silence and refusal to take an oath he didn't believe in, and how the impact of More's execution (for what was considered to be a treasonable, malicious silence) fed into the personal and intellectual freedoms that Thomas Jefferson championed. Jefferson's famous arguments about the Alien and Sedition Act connect back to more in several ways, because Jefferson argues that even the best judges need check and balances. As president, he pardoned those convicted under the act, which punished malicious comments about the government. The National Endowment of the Humanities has a deep, thought-provoking high school level unit on Edsitement about Jefferson and the Alien and Sedition Act.
If the Texas School Board confirms their recommendations, it will be up to teachers to go beyond the textbooks, and no one goes beyond textbooks better than gifted educators. Through curriculum compacting to create space for new lessons and content enrichment to introduce deep connections, students can continue to learn about the ideas that many Americans consider to be essential to democracy. Although future textbooks may diminishing Thomas Jefferson political influence, he does not need vanish from public education.
The Statesman and The Saint, by Jasper Ridley, was published by Viking Adult in 1983. It is available in used copies and also under the title of The Statesman and the Fanatic.
Alex Sharp - Alex Sharp is a teacher who has been keeping Suite101 readers up to date with the latest in audio- and e-book gadgetry since 2008.
