Bar Bet for Conservative Gradeschoolers
OK, I'll throw this one out for anyone who wishes to comment.
Are we a Representative Republic or are we a Representative Democracy?
I was always taught that we, as a nation, were a Representative Republic.
My youngest's 5th grade History textbook seems to feel otherwise.
The authors' might be just playing fast and loose with semantics, but that little fun fact in there is buggin' me.
I was helping her with her homework last week. They were learning about the Constitution. She had a chapter review worksheet to do, one of those fill in the blanks things and when she got to the question about what form of government we have, she was confused. She knows what I tell her, but the book was saying something else. So I looked the chapter over and there is was.
Our solution? I advised her to parrot what the book said but then also add in parentheses Representative Republic and if her teacher had a problem with it she could call me.
(This segued into a "teaching moment"...actually more like a controlled rant, about the difference between Mob rule and more orderly forms of government and revisionist history. She's always amused when I go off like that...at one point she said "Mom, I can't fit all that on the page!" Bless her heart!)
So which is it?
Am I right? Is the textbook right? Or is it somewhere 'twixt the 2?
Are we a Representative Republic or are we a Representative Democracy?
I was always taught that we, as a nation, were a Representative Republic.
My youngest's 5th grade History textbook seems to feel otherwise.
The authors' might be just playing fast and loose with semantics, but that little fun fact in there is buggin' me.
I was helping her with her homework last week. They were learning about the Constitution. She had a chapter review worksheet to do, one of those fill in the blanks things and when she got to the question about what form of government we have, she was confused. She knows what I tell her, but the book was saying something else. So I looked the chapter over and there is was.
Our solution? I advised her to parrot what the book said but then also add in parentheses Representative Republic and if her teacher had a problem with it she could call me.
(This segued into a "teaching moment"...actually more like a controlled rant, about the difference between Mob rule and more orderly forms of government and revisionist history. She's always amused when I go off like that...at one point she said "Mom, I can't fit all that on the page!" Bless her heart!)
So which is it?
Am I right? Is the textbook right? Or is it somewhere 'twixt the 2?
posted by white trash republican at Thursday, September 28, 2006
5 Comments:
I'm too dumb for that one, but I am wondering what Patrick and Hoosier Boy would have to say.
I have always learned our form of Government is a Representative Republic. "Representative Democracy" to me is an oxymoron. You cannot have a democracy and have representatives. That would be similar to a "Capitalist Communist". I guess as further evidence the Pledge of Allegiance refers to the "...Republic for which it stands" (at least for now!).
I refuse to look at my kids history and social studies texbooks. It is not worth the blood pressure changes they cause.
I like your blog -- I will be back (woods walk sent me)
hoosierboy-
That's what I was thinking too! It didn't make any sense. The only thing I could think of is that they were trying to subliminally imply in these young noggins that "Democracy" = The Democratic Party in the hopes that when they hit 18, that will be the party they vote for, afterall, it is the party of our government, right?
I agree that the textbooks nowadays will make your blood boil, but that is even more reason to monitor them! In lieu of just completely homeschooling, I tend to be very hands on when it comes to my kids schooling. Sometimes it may require some debriefing and out n out deprogramming, but I'm ok with that.
Thanks for your kind words and welcome. : )
I Pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands,
one Nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all
*I don't know a rats gut from a dried prune ... so don't take my word for it
"Representative Republic" hon. You can take it to the bank! :)
It is indeed a revisionist history technique. Watch your daughter's history books very carefully, although I don't suppose I have to tell you that! I was amazed at the nonsense found in my daughters history books. Too bad I wasn't blogging at the time. I've been to war with so many teachers I can't even begin to tell you. My daughter learned history, real history, in spite of the school system.
But we have so many parents who don't care and don't bother with such mundane things as their children's education that if we don't revamp our education system we are going to be in deep doo-doo!
Post a Comment
<< Home