Why are conservatives so against APUSH?

[KnittingRyu]

APUSH for those who don't know stands for AP US History. The issue that led to the acronym originated in Oklahoma where AP history exams now cover slavery, Japanese internment camps, and how Native Americans were treated. Apparently these things were not covered much and white conservatives are pissed that this is something their children are learning in school. Though the issue started with Oklahoma, the anger has spread among white conservatives, particularly in the south. Why is this a bad thing to learn? It will just continue the ignorance of the south, as well as the obvious racism that tends to come with it.

[navy]

Never heard of the controversy.

Cons gonna Cons.

[KNOW1EDGE]

it doesnt bother me, im all for kids learning more in school.

but to answer your question, some people may think there are more relevant or important things to learn about, or maybe theyd rather schools focus on the positive history rather than the negative history. -that doesnt seem outrageous to me

[NumberSix]

The massive problem with public schools is that they are inherently vulnerable to political agendas being pushed into the classroom by whichever political faction happens to be in power. Whether it's the "America is evil" crowd or the militant creationists.

[TripleA]

The massive problem with public schools is that they are inherently vulnerable to political agendas being pushed into the classroom by whichever political faction happens to be in power. Whether it's the "America is evil" crowd or the militant creationists.

I took APUSH and it did not seem to have any political agenda. The class is not really about straight fact learning but comprehension and use of thinking skills while looking at history.

[NumberSix]

I took APUSH and it did not seem to have any political agenda. The class is not really about straight fact learning but comprehension and use of thinking skills while looking at history.

Nothing "seems" to have an agenda when you're hearing it for the first time. If the information is brand new to you, you don't know about the information that is being left out.

[TripleA]

So conservatives are mad the kids are not learning their agenda driven history.
Where the founding fathers were gods and America is perfect.

[9erempiree]

They're against it because a certain group try to push an agenda. AP classes are suppose to replace college classes but these high schoolers don't have college minds.

You don't teach the brutalities of civilization to kids because they will eventually find out.

I remember being taught about all these things but then again, Oklahoma have some dumb people if they are barely teaching kids about it there.

[ballup]

Apparently the tests portray America in a bad light and someone out there doesn't like that. Other rumored reason was that AP classes in general enforce a national curriculum.

[KnittingRyu]

it doesnt bother me, im all for kids learning more in school.

but to answer your question, some people may think there are more relevant or important things to learn about, or maybe theyd rather schools focus on the positive history rather than the negative history. -that doesnt seem outrageous to me

The thing I have most heard about why history is important is so we don't repeat it. For that to be possible, we need to learn about negative history too.

[9erempiree]

The thing I have most heard about why history is important is so we don't repeat it. For that to be possible, we need to learn about negative history too.

Don't be dumb here. AP classes are most likely taken in their senior year and its not even mandatory. These kids would be 17 or 18 by then.

Like I said, its not important enough to get mad over since AP classes are essentially college courses and you get credit if you pass the exam. Where is the outrage against history classes in college?

I can understand if parents were outraged over classes part of the curriculum but AP, in my opinion, are a separate entity.

Learning goes beyond high school and sooner or later they will learn about it.

[NumberSix]

Apparently the tests portray America in a bad light and someone out there doesn't like that. Other rumored reason was that AP classes in general enforce a national curriculum.

A bad light is ok if it's true.

Slavery was an evil, and it's ok to teach it as such. But the history of it should be taught accurately.

[9erempiree]

Is slavery really bad when at the time it was the norm?

I am surprised housekeepers are not regarded as such.

Blacks were slaves not because of their skin but because they were too weak to defend themselves. If Africa was a powerhouse, do you think they would have been used as slaves?

[KnittingRyu]

A bad light is ok if it's true.

Slavery was an evil, and it's ok to teach it as such. But the history of it should be taught accurately.

This. It would be absurd to ignore some of the most historical events of America's history in AP history. Heck, it should be taught before that, and it was where I grew up.

[BasedTom]

it's amusing to me, since in APUSH there was a big emphasis from the beginning on the natural conflict between states rights and the fed. That, along with the slave debate, could be considered among the primary reasons for the Civil War/political divide in America that continues to this day.

So my personal take is that APUSH offered a much more mature view on the subject compared to the usual good guys vs bad guys narrative they usually seem to give in other history classes.