Tell about the current situation with Oklahoma and APUSH.
by Sam Green
In Oklahoma, legislature has been passed that calls for a change in Advanced Placement United States History (APUSH, or AP U.S. History) curriculum due to the current teachings supposedly focusing on the negative side of American history more than the positive or neutral events. Some conservatives are firmly against the new curriculum; Republican commentator Ben Carson said that the current teachings will lead to students "sign[ing] up for [ISIL]." What conservatives are calling for involves a education that leaves students with a patriotic feeling, in regards to a country with history they can be proud of; meanwhile, liberals are arguing, in the words of Winston Churchill, "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."
Overall, I see this as a petty squabble. America is notorious for walking over people for most of history; we should be honest when we recall our past activities. Though, there are some exception; the article states that a focus on our Founding Fathers and major historical events, the Holocaust, for example, are not given adequate attention. In personal opinion, things like those should be included, but we should not be reforming the whole program or shutting it down because a select few disagree with it.
Overall, I see this as a petty squabble. America is notorious for walking over people for most of history; we should be honest when we recall our past activities. Though, there are some exception; the article states that a focus on our Founding Fathers and major historical events, the Holocaust, for example, are not given adequate attention. In personal opinion, things like those should be included, but we should not be reforming the whole program or shutting it down because a select few disagree with it.
