A group of very progressive Wisconsin legislators are sponsoring a bill requiring the school to teach the history of organized labor in America, to wit:
SECTION 1. 118.01 (2) (c) 6. of the statutes is amended to read: 118.01 (2) (c) 6. Knowledge of state, national, and world history, including knowledge of the history of organized labor in America and the collective bargaining process.
Readers of Waxing America know that I recently decried the lack of civics instruction in our public schools.
The Wisconsin legislators who introduced this legislation are well intentioned, but they are very dangerously in error. This proposal is similar to a recent California proposal to teach gay history in the schools. Or the flawed initiatives around the country to include "intelligent design" the curriculum.
The dangers of legislative bodies controlling the curriculum, no matter how well intentioned is a misuse of political power and destructive to the educational process. It tramples the freedom of open discourse in the classroom.
It is beyond me how anyone who calls themselves a progressive can place their judgment in law above the independent judgment of professional educators.
If you want to see the outcome of such miscues, just read little further down in the existing statue:
8. At all grade levels, an understanding of human relations, particularly with regard to American Indians, Black Americans and Hispanics.
I guess a lot of other people are just not as important as American Indians, Black Americans, and Hispanics.
Outlining skills or broad areas of knowledge is one thing. Legislating the content of the curriculum is another.
This is bad. Very bad.
For a complete reading of Chapter 118 go here. You will see that the legislation covers general education including basic skills (reading, writing, arithmetic), analytical skills (thinking), vocational skills, citizenship, personal development, and decision making . That is the way if should be. Only rarely does the statute go into specific topics such as cooperative marketing or the vitamin content of food.