I Know What I Know

Hello My Dear Friends. I'm often asked "Your Highness, why do kids today seem so misinformed about our history"? I tell these people, it's simple. Just like the workings of a computer, 'Garbage in; Garbage out'. Take, for instance, a text book out of Denton, Texas. The book, "US History: Preparing for the Advanced Placement Exam". In the Section titled "The First Ten Amendments" it summarizes the second Amendment as follows: "The people have the right to keep and bear arms in a state militia". Ummm. I don't think so. As I'm sure you know, the Second Amendment reads: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State. The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed'. Now, since we know that a "state militia" is a case where citizens are called upon in an emergency to protect the State, it's safe to say that those two statements do not say the same thing. Since the book in question is a "study guide" for the Advanced Placement Exam, one would assume either the exam is also incorrect or the students of Denton are going to get that one wrong. This is not an isolated case. A Michigan "History" book has 30 pages on Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving. It makes no reference to religion. As a matter of fact, it describes "Pilgrims" as "People who take long trips". LOL, right? I guess they took that long trip from England because they didn't like the food. A Minnesota Community College history teacher (John Chalberg) gave a pre-test to 160 introductory students. Only 2, that's right two, knew that Lyndon Johnson was the architect of the Great Society. Four  students actually thought it was Abraham Lincoln. Only 60 identified Germany as America's primary foe during World War I. Don't blame teachers. They're only allowed to teach the curriculum they're given. Also, many younger teachers were educated under this same, flawed system. In a Maryland high school, their history lesson on World War II focuses on Japanese-American internment camps, the entry of women into the workforce and discrimination against African Americans. One grad, highlighted in a recent Washington Post article, received a "B" in the course but couldn't say what year the War ended, who the President was, nor could she name one battle or one General. That's the future folks. Edmund Burke said it best, "Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it".
Po