carlfense Posted July 18, 2012 Share Posted July 18, 2012 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/texas-gop-rejects-critical-thinking-skills-really/2012/07/08/gJQAHNpFXW_blog.html Link to comment
zoogs Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 For too long we have blindly accepted not blindly accepted things. I blame Galileo, what a jag-off that guy was. Link to comment
Lil' Red Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 It's good to hear that the Texas GOP is committed to closed-mindedness. This "critical thinking skills" gibberish is corrupting the youth of our nation. Link to comment
sd'sker Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority. that part is terribly frightening. fixed beliefs should be constantly challenged, to ensure you truly believe in them and they are worth believing for their own sake. not just because of your culture or upbringing, but because you believe it is true. Link to comment
walksalone Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Texas is just f'ing scary anyways, without adding this to the mix.... 4 Link to comment
It'sNotAFakeID Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 If the state of Texas wants to create a culture of insensitivity and close-mindedness, then by God let them. They are only hurting themselves. Heck, let them leave the United States, then they can govern em'selves. Link to comment
knapplc Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 If the state of Texas wants to create a culture of insensitivity and close-mindedness, then by God let them. They are only hurting themselves. Heck, let them leave the United States, then they can govern em'selves. Actually, they're not only hurting themselves. The Texas Board of Education chooses textbooks for Texas public schools every year. Because they purchase so many books, they set the tone for what the publishers are willing to produce in mass quantity, meaning that every other state either has to go with whatever Texas chooses or find some small publisher to produce the books for them. Often, states just follow Texas' lead. That's why it's important to pay attention to what Texas is doing. Link to comment
The Dude Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 If the state of Texas wants to create a culture of insensitivity and close-mindedness, then by God let them. They are only hurting themselves. If only that were the case. Texas buys a lot of textbooks, and the textbook companies will pander to their larger customers. Edit: knapplc beat me to the punch. Link to comment
Yossarian Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 If anyone wants to teach kids critical thinking skills, then great. Just do it after you're sure they understand math, some basic sciences, the way the U.S. Government operates, how to read, maybe some logic, and how to write a sentence. Is that too much to ask? Link to comment
knapplc Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 If anyone wants to teach kids critical thinking skills, then great. Just do it after you're sure they understand math, some basic sciences, the way the U.S. Government operates, how to read, maybe some logic, and how to write a sentence. Is that too much to ask? Link to comment
bhamHusker Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I don't think that you can adequately "get" science and mathematics without first understanding how to think critically. No one can really be surprised that Texas Republicans oppose critical thinking. Libertarians, republicans and religious nuts would be out of work if too many people actually start to question things and examine the nonsense they're asked to believe. Link to comment
sd'sker Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 If the state of Texas wants to create a culture of insensitivity and close-mindedness, then by God let them. They are only hurting themselves. Heck, let them leave the United States, then they can govern em'selves. what about the kids who are deprived intellectual curiosity and discovering their own beliefs for themselves? Link to comment
Yossarian Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I don't think that you can adequately "get" science and mathematics without first understanding how to think critically. No one can really be surprised that Texas Republicans oppose critical thinking. Libertarians, republicans and religious nuts would be out of work if too many people actually start to question things and examine the nonsense they're asked to believe. Oh, I understood and learned all about biology, botany, algebra, calculus, and trig without having "critical thinking" mentioned once in those classrooms. Believe things like these? "The private sector is just fine" "You didn't build it." Hopefully there's going to be a guy out of his current job on 20 January because of this kind of nonsense he's been spouting. Link to comment
bhamHusker Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Oh, I understood and learned all about biology, botany, algebra, calculus, and trig without having "critical thinking" mentioned once in those classrooms. Believe things like these? "The private sector is just fine" "You didn't build it." Hopefully there's going to be a guy out of his current job on 20 January because of this kind of nonsense he's been spouting. I suppose you expect an argument, but you won't get one from me, although I do disagree with your last sentence since I see Obama as the better of two bad options (precisely the way I felt with every vote I've cast for the last 25 years). As for the other bits, blindly believing whatever is said by any politician in general, or American politicians in particular is foolish. That blind acceptance is what both politically parties and every religion in the world rely on. Edit to add a response to your edited addition: A student may very well memorize all of the concepts and be able to recall them for exams. Rote recall isn't the same as truly understanding a subject, though. That's why I made the distinction of being able to "get" a subject. Link to comment
carlfense Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 I do disagree with your last sentence since I see Obama as the better of two bad options ... Hear, hear. I'll take an average president like Obama over Willard every single day. Link to comment
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