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So what do the following words or topics have in common?


Abuse
Alcohol (beer and liquor), tobacco, or drugs
Birthdays
Bodily functions
Cancer (and other diseases)
Catastrophes/disasters
Children dealing with serious issues
Computers in the home
Creatures from outer space
Dancing
Death and disease
Dinosaurs and prehistoric times
Divorce
Geological history
Evolution
Expensive gifts, vacations, and prizes
Gambling
Halloween
Holidays
Homes with swimming pools
In-depth discussions of sports that require prior knowledge
Junk food
Loss of employment
Movies
Nuclear weapons
Parapsychology
Politics
Pornography
Poverty
Rap music
Religion
Religious holidays
Rock-and-Roll music
Running away
Sex
Slavery
Terrorism
Vermin (rats and roaches)
Violence
War and bloodshed
Weapons (guns, knives, etc.)
Witchcraft, sorcery, etc.


Give up?


This is presented as food for thought for those who hold that all power in public education should be reserved to the lowest possible level (i.e., the school boards).

Among other things, these rules would make it virtually impossible either to teach or test American History.

Which might be the point.

Comments

Dana Garrett said…
How can you ask relevant test questions about the Civil War era without mentioning the word "slavery?" I don't get it.
Precisely my point: how can you teach any American History at all without access to most of these verboten topics?

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