[RSCT] Tell Texas not to remove Cesar Chavez & Thurgood Marshall from school books

[S. Kashdan]

From: "United Farm Workers" <ufwofamer at aol.com>



Subject: Tell TX not to remove Cesar Chavez & Thurgood Marshall from school 
books



Date: Friday, July 24, 2009 10:52 AM



http://www.ufwaction.org/campaign/tx709/3333dggrl73mxm3i?



Tell Texas not to remove Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall from school 
books



There is an education war going on in Texas that you need to know about and 
get involved with. The TX State Board of Education is currently preparing to 
adopt new social studies curriculum standards.



These standards have major national implications as Texas is such a major 
purchaser of textbooks and their state's required curriculum drives the 
content of textbooks produced nationwide.



Please read the following and then take action and forward this to as many 
friends as possible.



The TX State Board of Education has hired 6 "experts" to determine what will 
be in the books their schools use. Some of these "experts" are arguing that 
the state's social studies and history textbooks are giving "too much 
attention" to some of the most prominent civil rights leaders in US History, 
namely Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall.



David Barton, one of these "experts," claimed Cesar Chavez "lacks the 
stature, impact and overall contributions of so many others." Another of 
these "experts" evangelical minister Peter Marshall said, "To have Cesar 
Chavez listed next to Ben Franklin"--as in the current standards--"is 
ludicrous." He went on to say Chavez is not a role model who "ought to be 
held up to our children as someone worthy of emulation."



The same "expert" wants to eliminate Thurgood Marshall, a prominent Civil 
Rights leader who argued the landmark case that resulted in school 
desegregation and was the first African-American U.S. Supreme Court justice. 
He wrote that the late justice is "not a strong enough example" of an 
important historical figure to be presented to Texas students.



Board members and their appointees have complained about an "over 
representation of minorities" in the current social studies standards. This 
is ironic in light of the changing demographics of our country. Sadly, 
Latino and African-American children have the highest drop-out rates in the 
country. It's essential to ensure schools are providing students with role 
models and historical figures whose experiences reflect their own.



We must be concerned when the contributions of Cesar Chavez, Thurgood 
Marshall and other individuals who have contributed so much to the landscape 
of American democracy are cast aside and ridiculed. We should welcome the 
inclusion of all Americans who have helped to make this nation great.



It is horrific to discover that the TX State Board of Education has allowed 
these panelists to use our children's social studies curriculum as a 
platform for their political agendas.



Please take action today to stop this travesty from going forward. Send your 
e-mail to the Chair of the Texas Board of Education Gail Lowe (R).



Go to:



http://www.ufwaction.org/campaign/tx709/3333dggrl73mxm3i?



Tell-A-Friend: Every e-mail sent makes a difference. Forward this message to 
at least 10 friends or family and ask them to send an e-mail too. Go to:



http://www.ufwaction.org/campaign/tx709/forward/3333dggrl73mxm3i?



To read news clips on the subject click here:



http://www.ufwaction.org/ct/u7r5rv61BBzY/clips