California Political Correctness Gone Horribly Awry

I’ve often railed against the sheer stupidity of the trend towards “political correctness” in this country, but this latest example is just too much. Fox News reports that the “textbook review process in California has changed or eliminated references to everything from the Founding Fathers to hot dogs, leaving many to charge the state with distorting history in the name of political correctness.”

Why no pictures of hot dogs, you may ask? “That’s because…hot dogs, sodas, cakes, butter and other kinds of food that are not considered nutritious.” Mount Rushmore will not be in any texbook, “because it appears to offend some American-Indian groups.” Senior citizens are now “older persons,” “jungle” is now “rain forest,” and apparently the devil doesn’t exist at all anymore.

This is by far the most ludicrous example of censorship in the name of avoiding even the appearance of offending someone. I think this passage is right on the money:

“It’s outright censorship,” said author Diane Ravitch, who has written extensively on the subject of how the nation’s schools have dealt with the issue. “It dumbs down our textbooks, makes them bland, far less interesting than anything children might see in the movies – even in G-rated movies or TV.”

It’s quite obvious that California school officials are totally unaware of how ignorant this makes them look. I hope that someone gets their head out of their ass and reconsiders before a generation of children’s minds are tainted with this stupidity.

Simpsons Math

3D HomerDr. Sarah J. Greenwald of Appalachian State University and Dr. Andrew Nestler of Santa Monica College present simpsonsmath.com, a site that uses math from episodes of The Simpsons to engage students and introduce new mathematical concepts. Pretty fun…

Class of 2006 – Born in 1984!?

In order to help its faculty better relate to new generations of students arriving on campus, Beloit College has been distributing Mindset Lists that serve as a “reminder that the world view of today’s new college students is significantly different from the intellectual framework of those students who entered only a few years earlier.” For example, this year’s Class of 2006 Mindset List reminds us that:

Bruce Springsteen’s new hit, Born in the USA, could have been played to celebrate their birth.

South Africa’s official policy of apartheid has not existed during their lifetime.

A Southerner has always been President of the United States.

A “Hair Band” is some sort of fashion accessory.

Nicholas Cage, Daryll Hannah, Eddie Murphy, and John Malkovich made their first major film impressions the year they were born.

Vanessa Williams and Madonna are aging singers.

The “evil empire” has moved from Moscow to a setting in some distant galaxy.

“Big Brother” is merely a television show.

These are just some of the examples, and the lists from only a few years earlier show just how differently “these kids” see things today. I feel old…