Jimmy McCarty wrote a post on the God’s Politics blog by Jim Wallis about his impressions of Romero. In this post, you’ll see an imbedded video from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart detailing how a board of education in Texas decided whether or not to include Romero in the textbook. As McCarty writes, skip to 2:29 if you want to miss adult humor and go straight to the subject at hand.
I cried when I watched this. It’s yet another way I’ve found it difficult to control my emotions in the last 48 hours since returning home. It’s the “disappeared” comment that really got me. But I must say, it’s for good reason, as that video aired the night before we left on our trip and this woman truly lives in her willful ignorance. It really makes me sad.
If you don’t want to read McCarty’s article, here’s the link to the video directly.
What do you think?
-nm
It pains me to see this kind of ignorance placed in a position of authority, especially when the effects are so far-reaching. Texas has a large population, which means lots of children, which means lots of schools, which means that yes, they do need to buy large numbers of textbooks. But how is it that they have a monopoly on the textbook market? Why do textbook companies choose to cater to what an ignorant board made up of dentists and soccer moms decides? The effects of these decisions are devastating to schools across the country, whose teachers are forced to teach from textbooks that do not live up to the academic standards that their students are capable of.
If someone like Romero is being left out, I can’t help but wonder what else the next generation will be ignorant about.
These sorts of decisions are being made by people every day, I’m just glad people know what’s going on so we can find a way to do something about it. Also makes me wonder who was left out of MY textbooks when I was in school.
I’m technically at work right now so I haven’t been able to watch the video yet, but I just wanted to say that I understand what you mean about not being able to control emotions. I didn’t think coming home would be so hard, but I’m grateful that the intensity of the trip is staying with me so strongly.
I’m trying to find out what this physically affected– what was the textbook with Romero and is it now a new edition without him?
Working on my graduate thesis and need this info! Would love any help– thank you
Sorry, Caroline, all I know is what’s in that Daily Show report. Wish I knew and if you find out, please come back and let us know.