Christian History



As many of you who read this blog already know, I tutor a lot of kids in order to keep myself in spaghetti while I work on the book. Recently, I've picked up some students from the Life Christian School in Tacoma. They're nice enough kids--bright and not as Todd Flanders-ey as you'd expect (one of them spent a few minutes comparing notes with me on the subtle distinctions between Korean and American profanity). Still, it pains me to look through some of their school texts. I tutor one boy, an eighth grader, in American History. Today, I thumbed through his textbook, looking for maps (his book is strangely short on useful maps) and found a section on Bill Clinton's veto of the "partial birth" abortion ban that read like the script for an RNC video. I don't have the book with me so I can't quote the whole thing (I've never actually seen the book's title either. My student wrapped the cover in thick paper. I'll check on it when I see him next week and update, in the event anyone's curious), but it said that Republicans in congress had voted to restrict the "partial birth" abortion procedure, which even some feminists (it claimed) found cruel and repugnant. "Sadly" it said, Bill Clinton voted the measure to preserve a woman's (their quotes) "right to choose."

Other sections cover the conversion of an "unregenerated" Native American tribe to Christianity--citing it as proof of God's ability to bring even heathens through difficult times, and the corruption of the puritan cause by sinners from within.

Now it's easy to say, "What do you expect? It's a Christian School." And I found myself saying, "Well, most history texts were propaganda meant to sell the story of America the great and America the good. Why not America the Great, Good, and Godfearing, for those who like that sort of thing?" Still, I felt queasy as I watched my student absorb this stuff. Not because I imagined he would be brainwashed. The propaganda aims of the writing were too naked. Even third graders, who have only just begun to learn the difference between fact and opinion, would scoff. What bothers me is that the Christians who wrote my student's book weren't after a more factual history than that found in secular classrooms (our history books have their own problems, which you can read all about in Lies My Teacher Told Me). They were simply out to select those moments in history that, properly framed, allow them to riff on this or that feature of right-wing religious dogma or condemn those whom right-wing religious thinkers condemn. This teaches the kids that there is no such thing as real history. There are only religious vs. secular histories. History itself is entirely dependent on ideological perspective. The purpose of researching the past is not to come to some kind of conclusion, based on evidence, of what took place long ago; its purpose is to help promote a set of preconceived notions (e.g. America has always been a Christian Nation, Christianity defeated Communism, George W. Bush's election was part of God's plan). Also, because the propaganda is so predictable and so boring, most kids will turn off, give up, and walk away from the subject. They'll never bother to question what they've been taught because the entire field is too frustrating and tiresome for them to think about. By withdrawing the rewards of learning, books like my student's encourage perpetual ignorance.

Some will, of course, believe the dogma these books push on them. But most will simply allow themselves to slip quietly through, mouthing the slogans and copying the bold words, and emerge from school no better educated than when they entered. When they grow up, they'll graduate to FOX News and Pat Robertson, and will remain stupid forever (though their diplomas will look nice in the frame).

It's tough to tutor these kids, because there's only so much damage I can undo (especially since my job is to help them pass these classes). I try to give them what I can, show them sides of history and literature not included in the Fundie grand tour, and try to teach them the skills to evaluate evidence on their own, without having to trust their teachers, or me. I also debunk rumors and silly certitudes. One student came to me and said that her history teacher claimed to know that the Clintons were sabotaging John Kerry so that Hillary Clinton could run in 2008. I told her, "He's good. I can't tell you what's going to happen in politics next week. Your teacher's better than Miss Cleo." Aside from that, I just grit my teeth and do it, happy to know that my students from the International School and Charles Wright Academy will soon be with me, chatting about existentialism, Dostoevsky, and Allen Ginsberg (with all the dirty words and gay references included).

You can read more about what's in fundamentalist textbooks here.

Posted: Wed - October 27, 2004 at 10:24 PM        

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