Inauguration Frustration
At least some students in the Keller Independent School District, near Ft. Worth, Texas, will be tuning in to Tuesday’s inaugural festivities, as officials reversed an earlier announcement saying students and teachers would be barred from watching during instructional time. Dallas / Fort Worth’s CBS 11 reports that the district will now allow students to watch the swearing-in ceremony after widespread outcry from parents—but only if the ceremony occurs during students’ social studies or U.S. history classes.
District officials said they never intended to imply the inauguration wasn’t a historic event, saying the previous decision to ban viewing was to keep students focused on the curriculum. After a flood of criticism from parents and community members, the district clarified the announcement saying that social studies classes could watch. For some, that’s not enough.
"Watching a historic moment — like a man landing on the moon — has educational value that is greater than an hour-and-a-half worth of curriculum,” Larry West, associate director for the teachers group United Educators Association, told the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram. “When it happens, it is a common sense of history for everyone. Many of our teachers feel that sacrificing history for the sake of a few hours of curriculum is not acceptable."
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Comments
This may be true, and certainly was true 50 years ago. In the ago of Tivo/DVD records, I don't think it's so true. We'll know better when a Republican gets elected and we do the same thing .... :)
Posted by: tim | January 16, 2009 11:26 AM
I think we are missing the point of why and how this is a historic moment if we view it from the Republican vs. Democrat perspective. The historic nature of this inauguration is not about a Democrat being elected. As my students discussed in class Tuesday and President Obama put very eloquently in his Inauguration Address, the historical moment, which is always better enjoyed years latter if you saw it live, was rooted in the fact that a man whose father would not have been served at a restaurant in the south 60 years ago took the Oath of Office to be the President of the United States. Standing on steps built by slaves. This was a moment beyond political parties. It was a moment for all Americans, regardless of whether you voted for him or not. A showing of how far we have come in our nation’s short history.
Posted by: Jeff | January 22, 2009 12:13 PM