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A review by christopherc
Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen
4.0
In LIES MY TEACHER TOLD ME long-time college professor James W. Loewen, spurred by the appalling ignorance of history of new university undergraduates, examines the problems of high school history textbooks over the last fifty years. It is a work that tries to give energetic debate back to the high school study of history, for professional historians are aware of the uncertainty and need for exploration of many facts about our country.
The author gives several case studies. The first is the common "heroification" of many personalities that conceals their flaws. Textbooks speaks of Hellen Keller up to her young adulthood and praise her "triumph over adversity", but they suspiciously leave out the later 60 years of her life, when she was involved in a number of socialist causes. The following chapter speaks of the unsavoury aspects of the conquest of America incited by Columbus. It is an ironic fact that nearly every other Latin American country is aware of the rape and killing report by such figures as Bartholome de las Casas, but American textbooks continue to whitewash the era. Lowen also explores how textbooks handle racism, a sensitive issue for him as he taught in Mississippi for many years.
Loewen attacks the conservative ideological stance of today's works, not really because he shares different values, but because such a one-sided approach is boring and does not motivate young people to better their country. When young people constantly hear that the United States is coasting along on a one-way route to progress, Lowen notes, they do not feel much of a need to offer their own abilities; if young people do not get involved, the political life of the country suffers, a fact that should worry conservatives and liberals alike. The book is so pleasant precisely because it isn't a distorting liberal publication but because it tries to get everyone involved.
The downside of LIES MY TEACHER TOLD ME is that is does not show who exactly is responsible for these "lies". Lowen mentions in passing several organisations who attempt to limit the viewpoints in textbooks, such as the Gablers of Texas, but never gives a detailed view of this hindering opposition.
Loewen's book should encourage high school teachers to leave behind the tired rosy picture of everything in the U.S. being fine and return to Socratic debate and enlightening polemic that will result in younger generations leaving high school with critical thinking ability and civic dedication.
The author gives several case studies. The first is the common "heroification" of many personalities that conceals their flaws. Textbooks speaks of Hellen Keller up to her young adulthood and praise her "triumph over adversity", but they suspiciously leave out the later 60 years of her life, when she was involved in a number of socialist causes. The following chapter speaks of the unsavoury aspects of the conquest of America incited by Columbus. It is an ironic fact that nearly every other Latin American country is aware of the rape and killing report by such figures as Bartholome de las Casas, but American textbooks continue to whitewash the era. Lowen also explores how textbooks handle racism, a sensitive issue for him as he taught in Mississippi for many years.
Loewen attacks the conservative ideological stance of today's works, not really because he shares different values, but because such a one-sided approach is boring and does not motivate young people to better their country. When young people constantly hear that the United States is coasting along on a one-way route to progress, Lowen notes, they do not feel much of a need to offer their own abilities; if young people do not get involved, the political life of the country suffers, a fact that should worry conservatives and liberals alike. The book is so pleasant precisely because it isn't a distorting liberal publication but because it tries to get everyone involved.
The downside of LIES MY TEACHER TOLD ME is that is does not show who exactly is responsible for these "lies". Lowen mentions in passing several organisations who attempt to limit the viewpoints in textbooks, such as the Gablers of Texas, but never gives a detailed view of this hindering opposition.
Loewen's book should encourage high school teachers to leave behind the tired rosy picture of everything in the U.S. being fine and return to Socratic debate and enlightening polemic that will result in younger generations leaving high school with critical thinking ability and civic dedication.