Althouse: "It’s easy to understand the instinct to keep the class objective. People who oppose having a separate African-American history course in the first place..."

September 29, 2014

"It’s easy to understand the instinct to keep the class objective. People who oppose having a separate African-American history course in the first place..."

"... will portray it as an ideological program or divisive propaganda. (This, of course, assumes that any other course in history—world history or European hstory [sic]—is not ideologically driven.) While no one has to fight to legitimize a course in, say, Algebra, proponents of ethnic studies are always put on the defensive. Darlene Clark Hine, the Northwestern professor who adapted a college textbook to create the one taught to Philly high-school students, argued that one of its strengths was that it lays out a history 'as tight and compelling as possible, without a lot of scholarly debate over interpretations.' The stated goal of the text, according to a 2005 Philadelphia Inquirer article, was to instruct students in chronological progression and cause and effect. But if the class can be vexing for students, it’s no less so for the people standing at the front of the room, who sometimes fear that introducing current events and encouraging interpretation and debate will lead to controversy or open conflict...."

From a New Republic article subtitled "Lessons from Philadelphia's mandatory African American History classes."

64 comments:

RecChief said...: wow if this headline isn't Crack-bait, I don't know what is.

Deflecting attention from the California Sex Law post?

Take it away Crack and the Emcees(Crack, Garage Mahal, AReasonableMan, and madisonfella); 9/29/14, 12:20 PM
Oso Negro said...: Can a mandatory one year course in Homosexual Studies be far behind?; 9/29/14, 12:24 PM
Lewis Wetzel said...: This excerpt begins with a lie, than uses that lie as the foundation of a bad argument.

(This, of course, assumes that any other course in history—world history or European hstory [sic]—is not ideologically driven.)
It is one thing to acknowledge that ideology will inevitably appear in any historical narrative. It is quite another thing to make ideology the centerpiece of a historical narrative.; 9/29/14, 12:34 PM
traditionalguy said...: It would be interesting to have a course in the history of pagan African Tribes identifying and discussing the winners of their territorial wars.

I have followed a similar course called "The Barbarian Empires of the Steppes." Those dudes did war right the first time or they kept trying until they did.

Yet I suspect the real His-Story being told in Philadelphia is more updating a passive aggressive self pity for losers in the European slave trade days.; 9/29/14, 12:36 PM
Just asking questions (Jaq) said...: CR

"WE WANT OUR MUNNNY!"; 9/29/14, 12:37 PM
William said...: If you isolate just this one aspect of human injustice, then the course soon becomes Why White People Suck. Perhaps it should be taught in the context of European serfdom and the customary usage of flogging in the British army and navy because that was the context of African bondage. It wouldn't hurt to also describe some of the less enlightened tribal practices among the Ashanti and Dahomey.; 9/29/14, 12:40 PM
Fernandinande said...: First learn how to read, then take up "African-American history" as a hobby.

"In Philadelphia, over half of the adult population—an estimated 550,000 individuals—are considered low literate.[1] This means they would struggle to fill out a form such as a job application or follow written instructions."; 9/29/14, 12:45 PM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: Andrew Wilkins... said: “To this day, I am confused as to what type of emotions this course intended to arise from its students.”

...While no one has to fight to legitimize a course in, say, Algebra...

Maybe that's because everyone understands that Algebra is not about arising emotions.; 9/29/14, 12:46 PM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: Davis, now a sophomore at Temple University, questioned her class’s treatment of Trayvon Martin’s murder...

She believes that Martin was murdered, yet she managed to pass the class...; 9/29/14, 12:49 PM
Forbes said...: How is teaching "cause and effect" not an interpretation?

Foolish justification from the outset. A misnomer to describe such as "objective."; 9/29/14, 12:58 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: I think Crusty the Clown's father was a black, homosexual. I hope he gets a mention in this course.; 9/29/14, 12:59 PM
Shanna said...: But certain teachers choose to present that content almost as artifacts, rather than as parts of a larger, ongoing narrative of oppression and resilience.

So they...taught a history class as if it were a history class?; 9/29/14, 1:05 PM
Lucien said...: It would be interesting indeed to see a course that examined how a group of people coming largely from a society in which they were oppressed as religious dissenters, and in which there were few if any slaves gradually became one in which a great party of the society depended upon race-based slavery for its economic success; and the way that issue nearly tore the country into bits.

But that course won't be focusing on current events, or students' emotions.

And looking back at High School, the required courses often got in the way of the classes one really wanted to take, so I oppose them in general.; 9/29/14, 1:09 PM
Bob R said...: "[W]hen African-American history teachers do push themselves outside their comfort zones, the impact on students is incredible. Helena Jeudin, two years after being enrolled in the course, still remembers being introduced to DuBois’s theory of “double consciousness”—the recognition she felt, the way DuBois gave voice to her experience."

Her first example of an important, relevant concept is one that was introduced over a century ago - not some trendy current events topic. There is plenty of material out there for a good course in African American history that would be beneficial to anyone taking it. Now, whether the public school teachers in Philly can teach it is another question.; 9/29/14, 1:11 PM
fivewheels said...: There sure are a lot of errors in that piece, even in the first few paragraphs, which is as far as I got. I mean spelling and grammatical errors, never mind the content. Kind of diminishes my faith in the writer as a teacher.; 9/29/14, 1:14 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: I have no problem with a mandatory course in African-American history. It's not possible to understand US history without it. Otherwise too many events are incomprehensible or subject to misinterpretation.

I think you can exclude many other kinds of history from survey courses and not miss the big picture.

Exactly what the content of the course and how it is taught matters. It could be good, or it could be bad. In principle, thought, it's a good idea.; 9/29/14, 1:16 PM
David said...: John Lynch is correct. American history, and especially the history of the American South, is African American history. Race has been a major driver of our politics and social history since the Constitution and before.

It is also true that much of African American history is the history of oppression of the minority by the majority. You can not teach American or African American history without delving into that.

The trick, as John Lynch says, is getting course materials and teachers who can do the course justice. Good luck with that in the current environment, and especially with teachers and course developers tiptoeing through a minefield of career destruction if they piss off the wrong people, white or black.; 9/29/14, 1:40 PM
m stone said...: We should all study the history of the Jews: an often rebellious people with a mixture of charismatic and foolish leaders for many centuries, then dispersed, facing constant hostility, and finally after 2600 years coming into their own land. As promised.; 9/29/14, 1:40 PM
Birkel said...: My interest lies outside the professor's. My interest in a college course is "Does the course encourage critical thinking that makes a student more likely to be employed?"

Customer focus is key to the quality provision of a service such as education.; 9/29/14, 1:40 PM
richard mcenroe said...: Algebra is actually being removed from the curriculum in many publis school districts.; 9/29/14, 1:48 PM
richard mcenroe said...: "It would be interesting to have a course in the history of pagan African Tribes identifying and discussing the winners of their territorial wars."

Shaka Zulu the Peacemaker!; 9/29/14, 1:49 PM
richard mcenroe said...: "In Philadelphia, over half of the adult population—an estimated 550,000 individuals—are considered low literate.[1] This means they would struggle to fill out a form such as a job application or follow written instructions."

Good thing they don't have to! EBT ALL AROUND!; 9/29/14, 1:50 PM
Michael K said...: "We should all study the history of the Jews"

Paul Johnson's book A History of the Jews is excellent. Almost a companion would be Stark's For the Glory of God which explains a lot about why the JudeoChristian religions have resulted in such great progress of the human race, and why Islam has not.

I know of a few fundamentalist Christians who should read Stark's book.; 9/29/14, 2:02 PM
Shanna said...: American history, and especially the history of the American South, is African American history.

True, but it should be dealt with in American history. If the shortness of the school year means it cannot be adequately addressed in a year, maybe they need to have two american history classes, one for early years and one for later years. My high school class completely glossed over the 1900's for the most part, simply because they ran out of time.; 9/29/14, 2:04 PM
mccullough said...: It's high school. The class is going to be dull, especially at a public school.; 9/29/14, 2:05 PM
Lewis Wetzel said...: Birkel wrote:
"Customer focus is key to the quality provision of a service such as education."

But who is the customer? Who determines what service public education provides?
These days historians don't believe that history is teleological. Progressives believe that history does have a teleology. That's why they call themselves "progressives".
In the old days, the purpose of an education was determined by the people who paid for it (the parents of the children being educated, for the most part).
These days people like Bill Ayers and federal bureaucrats are deciding the purpose of public education.
Their goals are not the same as the parents of the children being educated.; 9/29/14, 2:06 PM
David53 said...: Dana King, who wrote the curriculum, notes, “I have found that the course has also reshaped the identity of ‘Euro-American’ students, because of the misinterpretation of their own identities.”

What??? Sounds similar to homosexual reparative identity therapy.; 9/29/14, 2:06 PM
Michael said...: I am all for this course and would include African American writers with the exception of Maya Angelou. There are many great African American writers and she is not among them. Richard Wright, James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison, Leroy Jones, all top quality writers with challenging themes.; 9/29/14, 2:25 PM
Birkel said...: Terry,
Fair enough point but I believe the regulatory capture of education by radicals is other than customer focused. Refocusing on the actual customers would improve delivery of the service. Students, whether by non-attendance or by active protest, will reassert themselves. The cost structure is currently out of equilibrium.; 9/29/14, 2:32 PM
Shanna said...: Richard Wright

Who we read in English class, where it belongs. (although Native Son was fairly disturbing); 9/29/14, 2:34 PM
n.n said...: The goal should be to integrate, not isolate people by their race, gender, etc. The alternative feeds the degenerate religion based on doctrines of collective and inherited sin, and promotes prejudice in both the convicted and exceptional populations. The exclusive history of blacks in America should be a single chapter. The comprehensive history of blacks in America should be an elective course.; 9/29/14, 2:47 PM
SomeoneHasToSayIt said...: African-America History Course?

They have enough material for a whole course? How?; 9/29/14, 3:34 PM
damikesc said...: I take it that it's wrong to notice that the people bitching about unfair profiling assume all whites are racist.

I love watching blatant indoctrination be labelled as education.

If I lived there, I'd file civil rights suits against my child being denigrated as evil because of the color of his skin.

Let the pathetic bigots defend their bigotry in court.; 9/29/14, 3:49 PM
Michelle Dulak Thomson said...: richard mcenroe,

Algebra is actually being removed from the curriculum in many publi[c] school districts.

WTF? Algebra is 9th grade math.; 9/29/14, 5:39 PM
Paul said...: Separate but equal?

I feel history should be taught as HISTORY.

No separate 'African-American' history unless there is a 'Irish-American' history, 'Italian-American' History, 'German-American'.. 'French-American'.. etc.. history classes.

If you want to mention slavery in regular history, by all means do! But to segregate it is a joke.

For you see, that would allow alot of bigots to SKIP THE BLACK HISTORY CLASSES.

See, segregating 'African-American' history merely hides it from most folks.; 9/29/14, 5:45 PM
Paul said...: Looks like Crack is right now on crack and is unavailable to comment.; 9/29/14, 5:46 PM
Christopher said...: I work and live in Philadelphia and I have discovered only two things that unite the entire population regardless of race, creed, or color:

1) Everybody hates the Parking Authority

and more importantly,

2) Nobody wants their child to attend a public school.; 9/29/14, 6:42 PM
buwaya said...: Off the wall here maybe, but -

To teach a proper appreciation of the way the world works, if recent American history is controversial, the old solution is to teach ancient history. In the old days kids learned all about Greece and Rome, in depth. All the variety of human nature and the possibilities and dangers of the world are there. Its not relevant history, in a narrow sense, but its got every historical lesson anyone could want.
If a more current lesson is needed I highly recommend central European history, 1848-1890-ish, i.e., the career of Bismarck.; 9/29/14, 7:16 PM
wildswan said...: The Irish were oppressed by the English for 800 years - why not teach that history? Cromwell, for instance, went in to Ireland to set up "plantations" and directly enslaved many of the Irish and that whole part of the Irish-English history is a direct precursor to the way other groups were treated in the American colonies. It was part of the legal justification.

In fact if I were teaching AA studies I would point out that you could not be a slave in England but you could in in the English colonies and that this was a source of vast concern to the colonials. It was one reason why they were adamant that they be accepted as having the rights of Englishmen for they saw that if they gave way, then they could be enslaved. That was a real possibility to them because they saw it happen to the Africans.; 9/29/14, 10:42 PM
rcommal said...: Yuck.; 9/30/14, 12:16 AM
RecChief said...: This is the perfect type of post for Crack to pontificate on. So where is he? You're telling me the guy who can take a blog post about an Islamic beheading and spew out over 100 comments has nothing to say about an African-American History course? It's curious, a good many of his comments on that thread seem to have disappeared. Christ, do I need to start taking screen shots of Althouse comment threads? The odd thing is that there is no "This comment deleted by author" marker, just poof, 100s of comments like they had never been posted.; 9/30/14, 6:31 AM
Michael said...: I would guess he is in the woodshed as a result of his exuberance in a few recent posts. He will be back.; 9/30/14, 6:46 AM
Brando said...: Ah, teaching black history as a separate subject from general American history--brilliant! What better way to tell young black kids that their history is separate but equal to white history?

I know, some naysayers will go on about how American history is intertwined for all races, and we're all in this together, and blah blah blah--they just don't understand the importance of keeping everyone separated. After all, the different races prefer to be among their own kind, right? They really don't want to have to share history, or classes, or water fountains.; 9/30/14, 7:02 AM
Brando said...: Crack probably saw the title of the post and said "too easy....give Crack a challenge!"

I do think Crack thinks in the third person.; 9/30/14, 7:02 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: Ann,

"While no one has to fight to legitimize a course in, say, Algebra, proponents of ethnic studies are always put on the defensive. "

I'm surprised you didn't jump on that "always" the way you do on me when I use it. Colloquial language is OK for some, I guess, just not for blacks.

That said, it's kind of hard to call this a fair country where this is a the case. Nobody else has to justify the study of their history but us - because whites look bad in it - which is their racism, still, living it up without white folks noticing a thing.

Which is how they usually are, and have been, for hundreds of years without a break.

AKA Progress,...; 9/30/14, 10:07 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: Fernandinande,

"First learn how to read, then take up "African-American history" as a hobby."

Only a white person would suggest putting the cart before the horse:

Doing it your way, they'll never catch on to white supremacy for what?

Another decade?

Whoo-hoo, you white folks think you're slick!

Here's something you haven't considered:

Blacks have never needed to read to know whites were guilt,....; 9/30/14, 10:11 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: RecChief ,

"This is the perfect type of post for Crack to pontificate on. So where is he?"

About every three days white folks will ask this question - before some other racists claim I'm ALWAYS HERE dominating everything. Neither group seems to figure out one of them is a liar.

And then there's the tales of my life (homelessness, whatever) that y'all forget - until you want to ridicule me and then NO ONE WONDERS WHERE I AM!!!! I'm a racist "loser" trying to survive, who doesn't have time to be here, right?

Oh, where is Crack? Where is he?

Living under white supremacy, you morons,...; 9/30/14, 10:17 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: Brando,

"Ah, teaching black history as a separate subject from general American history--brilliant! What better way to tell young black kids that their history is separate but equal to white history?"

It's better than 400 years of white bullshit shmushed into a single chapter in a white textbook otherwise bragging about how wonderful you are,...; 9/30/14, 10:18 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: Ignorance is Bliss,

"Everyone understands that Algebra is not about arising emotions."

If you weren't racists - and truly thought it was only those folks long ago who were guilty - your emotions would be fine.

Buty, as you say, they are NOT,...; 9/30/14, 10:22 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: Lucien ,

"It would be interesting indeed to see a course that examined how a group of people coming largely from a society in which they were oppressed BECAUSE THEY WERE RELIGIOUS BUSYBODIES, WHO WOULDN'T LEAVE OTHERS ALONE, SO THEY LEFT TO HASSLE NATIVE AMERICANS AND BLACKS AND ANYONE ELSE THEY ENCOUNTERED,...

FIFY; 9/30/14, 10:25 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: richard mcenroe,

"It would be interesting to have a course in the history of pagan African Tribes identifying and discussing the winners of their territorial wars."

That, too, would end up being white folks.

You guys are so ignorant of what all whites have done,...; 9/30/14, 10:28 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: Birkel,

"My interest lies outside the professor's. My interest in a college course is "Does the course encourage critical thinking that makes a student more likely to help whites make more money off them without paying reparations?"

FIFY; 9/30/14, 10:30 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: richard mcenroe,

"EBT ALL AROUND!"

There's not a racist bone in this guy's body, ladies and gentlemen.

I guarantee it,...; 9/30/14, 10:31 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: "Paul Johnson's book A History of the Jews is excellent."

The Warmth Of Other Suns" is better, explaining how blacks left slavery, to find themselves pushed into ghettos by violent and hostile whites.

But - hey - you go study the Jews.

They're story is much more relevant to our lives,...; 9/30/14, 10:33 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: "American history, and especially the history of the American South, is African American history. "

Because only the South was racist against blacks.

ROTFLMAO!!!!

You guys kill me.

Or, at least, you would if you could,...; 9/30/14, 10:34 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: n.n,

"The alternative feeds the degenerate religion based on doctrines of collective and inherited sin, and promotes prejudice in both the convicted and exceptional populations."

Whites must come out, of any true telling of their collective sins, clean.

FIFY; 9/30/14, 10:37 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: SomeoneHasToSayIt,

"African-America History Course?

They have enough material for a whole course? How?"

That's two - open, blatant, and no one else says a word.

But you guys are NOT racists,...; 9/30/14, 10:38 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: damikesc,

"I take it that it's wrong to notice that the people bitching about unfair profiling assume all whites are racist."

Ah, the white man "noticed" something about blacks - who lived this history - while we can only "assume" to know whites.

You guys are hilariously racist and have no clue,...; 9/30/14, 10:41 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: Oh, and I'd like to add that - along with dominating this blog - I also can't help but link to my blog.

That's been the charge and the racists are sticking to it.

Plus begging - can't forget begging - I'm a big beggar according to these guys.

Dominating, linking to myself, and begging, it's what I do.

All. The. Time.

That is all (the racists still say,...OK, not "all"...); 9/30/14, 10:52 AM
rcommal said...: degenerate religion based on doctrines of collective and inherited sin

Good Lord. Sweet Jesus. What the hell?; 10/1/14, 1:24 AM
rcommal said...: Also:

Huh? Wha--?; 10/1/14, 1:25 AM
rcommal said...: What is original sin, the very notion and convicting reality of it, if not both inherited and collective in its application?

What is Christianity, any way, and what is the point of it?

[Amen, Ahem.]; 10/1/14, 1:30 AM
rcommal said...: History existed before people--any people, every people, all people--could read (at all, but specifically, in this case and context, in terms of how "being able to read" and "reading" is defined today).

It's disturbing, not to mention disgusting, to me that I should find it necessary to point out such an obvious reality, much less to encourage a greater respect for the notion of facts--facts!--plural, which means that...

...not all that is convenient and easy glisters.

And that you who would demand more from others ought first demand more from yourself.; 10/1/14, 1:51 AM
Unknown said...: http://www.lwv.org/content/history-federal-government-public-education-where-have-we-been-and-how-did-we-get-here

"From the very beginning of our Republic, a well-educated citizenry was thought to be essential to protect liberty and the general welfare of the people."

Historical context uses terms in moralistic terms. Public education is not supposed to make you feel good about yourself, it's supposed to make you a better citizen. If you're a better citizen when you believe (like Crack) all whites are racist, if you believe identifying and promoting divisive politics is better than forging a future for the whole of the society, then by all means have a course in the history of African Americans, a course in the history of native Americans post European invasion, the history of the Chinese in America during certain periods, the history of Japanese, etc. etc. etc. If you believe that public education should make you a better citizen, then one should identify the attributes that can be enhanced by education and develop courses. Like civics. Like emphasizing the good stuff so that you'll try to support it in the future.

If the outcome you want is to have classes of people who don't cooperate well with other people, carry on.; 10/1/14, 3:13 PM