Which side would you take in this debate?

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061122/ap_on_re_us/teaching_thanksgiving

I'm sure most of you have read this, but it is talking about a controversial lesson on Thanksgiving. The teacher teaches his class on how the Native Americans land was stolen. Opposed to this, another teacher says that he is practically teaching his students to hate America. What would you say if you had any say in this?

Answer 1

I think far too many humans in general accept the idea of war and conquest as a legitimate means of land acquisition, or eliminating differences of opinion. It is completely integral both to our history and to our violent nature.

Any teacher who chooses to try and educate students about the down side, as well as trying to be historically accurate, is doing precisely what a good teacher ought to do. Believe me, he may make his students think about it, but he won't make them hate their country. And, if he helps the process of human evolution along the way, more power to him.

Teachers who believe they are serving the causes of history and education by avoiding, changing, or sugar coating the truths of our past are failing to perform their most important task, to accurately inform and enlighten the young minds in their care.

Answer 2

I agree with the spokesperson from Concerned Women for America that he is trying to teach his students to hate their country. I don't feel it is his place to press such strong ideas upon young children. He can express his strong feelings for his opinions about Thanksgiving in other ways to a more mature audience outside of the elementary classroom. I'm not a historian and don't fully understand all of the dynamics pertaining to the European Americans and the Native Americans, but the way I understand it, the Native Americans were wrongly pushed out of their land. But, there is nothing anyone can do about that now. In any case, isn't Thanksgiving true purpose to give thanks to God?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Answer 3

The indians didn't know about surveying the land for ownership, they believing that the earth was for the benefit of everybody. And apparently we didn't get their point of view. This maybe an over simplification, but in my mind it explains something I think that our historians didn't pick up on.
This is not a direct answer to your question but definetely
a direct bearing on it.

Answer 4

Hey, that's the truth - America did kill off the Native Americans after they helped the Pilgrims & early settlers. History should be taught in its entirety through an unbiased angle as possible - you should never shy away from or sugar coat negative events.

Theodore Roosevelt once said: "If you can't take the heat, then stay out of the kitchen."

Answer 5

The members of the Plymouth Colony didn't steal anything other than some corn they believed had been abandoned. The tribe of the owner of the corn made it clear that they were not happy and launched a half-hearted attack against the Colonists who later compensated the owner. Other than that, neither side had any problem with the other. In fact, the natives welcomed these colonists as allies against other natives.

The first teacher is obviously not competent to teach history.

Answer 6

I think teacher Bill Morgan is right for teaching kids the truth, but I don't think she did it in a good way. There are other ways to teach children. I also think that is something that she should teach another day, not as a Thanksgiving celebration.

Answer 7

I, personally, do not see and understand all the fuss about Thanksgiving. That was an historical ritual that the pilgrims celebrated ONCE, and I have not understood why it has become an annual celebration. Think about it, that pilgrims' celebration was not at the time the US was at war with anyone. Why celebrate Thanksgiving when we have troops getting killed in Iraq, and for what, because Bush, the president, wants to impose democracy in a Muslim country who clearly does not have any desire for it. Why else do you think there is an ongoing sacterian killings almost daily?

Answer 8

There are many teachers that do not belong in the classroom. Both should be let go by the School system, and they should hire some new teachers that make some sense out of the subject.

Answer 9

Personally I think the teacher should be fired. Mostly for teaching *his* opinions and beliefs instead of factual history. The fact that he is teaching false information is inherently wrong.

Answer 10

Why the hell not? We steal their land, kill their people, give them some land, take it back, kill some more of them for complaining, and etc.

Does a national holiday compensate for the injustice they suffered? So yeah, I think it's good that these kids know what happened and maybe they don't grow up being so ignorant because that's what our education system is doing.