A John Dunlap print of the Declaration of Independence, printed on the night of July 4, 1776, on display on the renovated seventh floor inside the Dallas Public Library in downtown Dallas in 2019.The Ashbrook Center, an independent academic center where I serve as executive director, just wrapped up two more free teacher seminars in the North Texas area — our second and third of seven events scheduled in Texas this year.
When young Texans do receive history and civics lessons in the classroom, they are too often caught in political battles or micromanaging of the curriculum.Education involves reading, wrestling with and reflecting on the words and lessons of the past, not mindlessly memorizing and regurgitating someone else’s opinion of them. Indoctrination and propaganda have no place in the classroom.
Our free teacher seminars in North Texas this month, which focused on civil rights in America and the office of the presidency in modern American history, showcased the utility of this educational approach to a variety of Texas educators. We examined the documents surrounding these topics in the same way they would with their students in a classroom setting and had lively discussions that go to the heart of the American story.
3/5ths, don’t forget that…
I think it's swell that I get to read the first para before it hides behind the paywall. 🙄