Pam Mazanec (R), member of the Colorado State School Board
Oh yeah baby, thats the
stuff:
She then wrote that her concern for the course "is an overly negative view of our history and many of our historical figures (if mentioned)" and cited history professors with "impressive credentials" who told her that the AP History curriculum is designed to "downplay our noble history."
She used slavery to illustrate the point:
As an example, I note our slavery history. Yes, we practiced slavery. But we also ended it voluntarily, at great sacrifice, while the practice continues in many countries still today! Shouldn't our students be provided that viewpoint? This is part of the argument that America is exceptional. Does our APUSH Framework support or denigrate that position?
Sure, we practiced slavery, but that too means America is exceptional. Nobody beat us when it came to doing slavery right. But we also ended it with like, a nice conversation over hamburgers, soda, and apple pie. Okay sure, the rather unexceptional British banned slavery 32 years before we did and actually began curbing the trade almost 60 years before we did. And yes, they did end it with simple acts of Parliament rather than a bloody civil war. But that just proves how awesome and exceptional America is. We made sure we aged our slavery properly before uncorking it. And we did it with a bang! At Ft. Sumter. But when she says great cost, she doesn't mean how costly slavery was for those who were enslaved. She means how much it cost to convince the south to join them in the backyard to talk it over and work things out. Literally millions on sweet tea!
This is from a member of a School Board.
American conservatives ladies and gentlemen. Exceptionally crazy.