I read the your article. Parts of your article were quoted on another blog which drew me to read your article in full. Your views so unsettled me that I felt the need to write this brief response. First and foremost, (and the only point I’ll make) you erroneously assume children enter school with minds like “tabulae rasae.” In fact, such…
I read the your article. Parts of your article were quoted on another blog which drew me to read your article in full. Your views so unsettled me that I felt the need to write this brief response. First and foremost, (and the only point I’ll make) you erroneously assume children enter school with minds like “tabulae rasae.” In fact, such a state would be impossible. School children are already situated in the world. They have a given set of relationships which come ready-made with expectations, obligations and value judgements—some true and some false, some good and some evil. They are in a larger culture and they are part of a history—also filled with value judgments. I respectfully submit that you fail to understand that we are all part of a history which is one of many reasons why history needs to be taught and taught well. This seems to be an error common to a libertarian mindset. Because of this, among other misconceptions, your argument is painfully naïve at best.
I read the your article. Parts of your article were quoted on another blog which drew me to read your article in full. Your views so unsettled me that I felt the need to write this brief response. First and foremost, (and the only point I’ll make) you erroneously assume children enter school with minds like “tabulae rasae.” In fact, such a state would be impossible. School children are already situated in the world. They have a given set of relationships which come ready-made with expectations, obligations and value judgements—some true and some false, some good and some evil. They are in a larger culture and they are part of a history—also filled with value judgments. I respectfully submit that you fail to understand that we are all part of a history which is one of many reasons why history needs to be taught and taught well. This seems to be an error common to a libertarian mindset. Because of this, among other misconceptions, your argument is painfully naïve at best.