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TEACHING TRADITIONAL "HISTORY" A NO NO

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Angry White Man

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Just some interesting news I received today:

IS TEACHING TRADITIONAL "HISTORY" HISTORY AT CARSON HIGH SCHOOL?

Meet Joe Enge.

Joe is an award-winning, 15-year veteran history teacher in Carson City who has, among other things, written two history textbooks and served on the 1997 task force which drew up Nevada's history standards. But according to school district administrators, he's a "bad" teacher.

You see, Joe has this crazy idea that American history should include our colonial period, as well as the Revolutionary War period. You know, where the Founding Fathers fought for independence from England and wrote the greatest governing document the world has ever known - the United States Constitution. You know, that period of time which gave us patriot heroes such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Tom Paine, Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, Sam Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, John Paul Jones, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Hancock.

And Joe has REALLY ticked off the local school district bureaucrats and the education establishment.

You see, unbeknownst to most parents in Carson City, the school district believes that high school American history should start with the Civil War era, not the days of America's Founding. Indeed, the curriculum forced on history teachers at Carson High School ignores pre-Civil War history completely - other than a little optional "refresher" at the beginning of the school year or if you're in an Advanced Placement class.

Joe Enge has fought the district's History-Lite curriculum for the past three years by teaching ALL of his students ALL of America's history, starting with the colonial period (remember the Pilgrims?).

In addition, Joe believes...get this...that the teacher should teach and the students should learn. He embraces and practices the "traditional" teacher-centered method of education, as opposed to the fashionable student-centered "discovery learning" method currently all the rage in San Francisco and Portland. What a trouble-maker.

So the school district wants to get rid of him.

Joe's supervisors - including Carson High's principal, Fred Perdomo - have given Joe unsatisfactory evaluations in retaliation for his refusal to teach a Founding-free version of American history. And although Joe's a "tenured" teacher, three such bad evaluations would be grounds for running this maverick out of town on a rail (students would have to read Revolutionary War-era history to know just what this phrase means). So Joe challenged the administrative evaluations; however, the Carson City School District Superintendent, Mary Pierszynski, sided with the principal. Big surprise there.

Last month as part of a mediation effort, Ms. Pierszynski offered to buy Joe off by paying him one year's salary if he'd quit. And considering the pure hell this one-man fight has put his family through, Joe actually considered it. But at the last minute, Pierszynski withdrew her offer, and now the dispute is moving to binding arbitration. Which means if Pierszynski's ruling backing Perdomo's evaluations stands, this Fulbright Scholar and Madison Fellowship award-winner will likely be tossed out on his kiester - and his Carson High students will finally be taught that American history began when Lincoln freed the slaves.

Of course, the teacher's union could always ride in and defend this experienced, professional classroom educator. Yeah, right. Fat chance. You see, Joe has chosen not to join the teacher's union, so these "principled" defenders of teaching professionals are more than happy to see the guy thrown to the wolves.

This entire episode is an outrage. Joe Enge is the kind of teacher we should WANT educating our kids. He loves history. He knows history. And he's darned good at teaching history. Indeed, Enge's spirit of resistance to this great injustice would make our Founding Fathers - who the Carson City School District would prefer to pretend never existed - proud. Especially Thomas Jefferson who (not that Carson City high school students would know it) once said, "The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive."

It's time for Superintendent Pierszynski, Principal Perdomo and the entire Carson City education establishment to call off the dogs and let professional American history teacher Joe Enge do what he's been trained to do and has been successfully doing for 15 long years: TEACH AMERICAN HISTORY. The FULL American history, not the district's "Reader's Digest" version.

Please help keep American history IN ITS ENTIRETY alive at Carson High School by signing our online petition urging the Carson City School District to allow Joe Enge to do what he's been trained to do: Teach ALL of American history.

Just go to the "Online Petition" page at www.citizenoutreach.com

Chuck Muth
President
Citizen Outreach
 
Thanks Angry. I signed the petition. :thumbsup:
 
I have signed as well! Those SOBs need a lesson in history themselves!
 
Does the curriculum also include the actual facts of the way the Indians were treated? Seeing they were here first and their land was taken. Does it include the facts on Salvery? If you want to tell the whole truth about American history, then all should be included not what a few deem as appropriate to some. You see American history has been watered down since then beginning, so I can't see myself signing something, that still doesn't include all of history, both good and bad.
 
NotJus4NE1 said:
Does the curriculum also include the actual facts of the way the Indians were treated? Seeing they were here first and their land was taken. Does it include the facts on Salvery? If you want to tell the whole truth about American history, then all should be included not what a few deem as appropriate to some. You see American history has been watered down since then beginning, so I can't see myself signing something, that still doesn't include all of history, both good and bad.
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I am guessing it teaches ALL of the history, but I can not say with certainty.

Just remember, the way the Indians were treated was par for the course at that point in history. Same with slavery. Horrible, nasty things like that were done. Period. Does that make them right? Of course not, but don't judge the past by todays standards, and don't try to paint the United States as any worse than any other major power of the time.

In reality, if you look at both issues, Native American history and African slavery, you will see that the United States was not the only "evil" force at work. Native Americans at times treated one another horribly: powerful tribes decimated and enslaved weaker ones. Africans captured other Africans and sold them to the slavers. If you are going to put the spotlight on an issue, make sure you shine it all parties, not just one, and it is unfair to try and make any one party out to be the sole bad guy.
 
NotJust4NE1 tell me were we switched at birth? You are sitting down there bashing your country; I am sitting up here bashing mine: you think the United States is not the most powerful, generous country in the world and it sucks to be you; I think Canad uh is as it sounds - Duh and I wish I were American and that it sucks to be me! TRADE YA'!
 
I wasn't bashing America, I'm just stating something that has been stated before by members of those races.

As far as shining the light on people of those races turning on one another, I didn't say exclude that either. I simply stated if you're going to teach American History do it in it's entirety not water it down.
 
I agree. The whole truth and nothing but the truth. Still willing to trade you countries though! Can you speak French? They are the only people immigration seems to be allowing in these days. And of course Muslins get a free pass. Must be planning to party with the US. At least they know the dumbest and closest place to go to attack the USA!
 
NotJus4NE1 said:
I wasn't bashing America, I'm just stating something that has been stated before by members of those races.

As far as shining the light on people of those races turning on one another, I didn't say exclude that either. I simply stated if you're going to teach American History do it in it's entirety not water it down.
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Forgive me, I should have clarified that you were not bashing America, but rather wanting to assure that all aspects of history, good and bad, should be taught. That was my error. I agree with you by the way, for "Those who fail to learn history are doomed to repeat it."
 
I have a few questions on this subject. One: Does the school teach the pre-civil war American History in another year? Two: Is the teaching from the Civil War on, part of the Nevada State Mandated education cirriculum?

Until we get those two questions answered, we can't say for sure if the school's actions were outrageous or the teacher was overstepping his bounds by spending way too much time teaching subjects not covered.

To comply with GoingNova - I was quick and to the point. Plus I like to be the Devil's Advocate at time, especially when we do not have all the facts in the matter.
 
Moderate One said:
I have a few questions on this subject. One: Does the school teach the pre-civil war American History in another year? Two: Is the teaching from the Civil War on, part of the Nevada State Mandated education cirriculum?
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I think you are digging way to deep here.

One, they want to teach American History from the Civil War on. Why the hell would you teach Pre-Civil War American History in another year? MAYBE on a college level, where you delve into specifics, but in grade school?

Two, why the hell would Nevada State mandate not teaching Colonial American History? If they did, I am SURE it would have been made an issue.

See this for what it is, a political agenda by a local school district. Nothing more. If you agree, as I do, that it is inappropriate, then sign the petion. If not, then don't.

Moderate... going way off point again! :) I have to laugh out loud actually, because now he is doing here in cyberspace what he does in real life! Let's get a confirmation from Weaselboy! :laughing7
 
What we have here is a teacher who wants to teach. He sees students as a work in progress not just a pack of wild dog he must spend a few hours a week with so he can draw a salary.

He is hurting no one. He is a man who believes in being thorough. I see the others fearing they may have to understand their subject or actually have to do a little more work to earn their pay. Not every teacher is a teacher. Joe it appears is a real teacher.

I signed the petition because I am oppose to morons who stifle the creativity of a true instructor.It isn't like he was trying to recruit the kids into a Jihad organization. He wanted only that the students get a full understanding of the American History he was teaching.

JC what the hell is the world coming to when a teacher is threatened with the loss of his classroom for giving the students and the State above average care and concern for the curriculum yet at the same time the ACLU is walking into a bar and telling me that I have a constitutional right to f..k the woman I am with right there on stage in front of a live audience if the mood strikes me! Hallelujah! Personally I would rather my kid get an excellent education in American history in a school where he is taught by a competent teacher! Thank you very much!!

It is purely politics more than likely started by some incompetent teacher who felt threatened that his or her standard of teaching may have to be raised; a cling on who thinks by standing in front of a class of young minds and telling them to sit down and shut up and read page 1-25 he is TEACHING. Have I ever gotten off on my tangent of how Unions are purely shields for parasites. Another day perhaps!
 
Reading these two websites on their state and area mandated cirriculums - sounds like he has a good case against the board if they made sudden changes.

10th Grade - World History
11th Grade - American History
12th Grade - American Government

And reading the American History required teaching, I see they go over the entire history. Only grade they didn't write about was 9th grade. Will do more research on this matter.
 
I'm for any teacher who wants and loves to do their job. With the state of public education we need all the good teachers we can get.
 
His personal website with his course cirriculum and link to his fellowship award he won this year. Note he listed information of the first semister included pre-civil war history. I didn't find any information about this dispute anywhere at this time even in his own website.

http://www.senatorserver.net/~jenge/
 
Moderate One said:
His personal website with his course cirriculum and link to his fellowship award he won this year. Note he listed information of the first semister included pre-civil war history. I didn't find any information about this dispute anywhere at this time even in his own website.

http://www.senatorserver.net/~jenge/
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JC, did you get a job with the CIA? Where the hell do you find all this stuff so quickly! :laughing7
 
Shhh you don't have national security clearance for me to answer that. :p
 
Angry emailed me with an update yesterday. It seems the emails overwhelmed the system, and Chuck gave out the phone numbers to call the school, and others involved. I decided not to post the phone numbers here. I received another update today from Angry, and this one I will share with you all:

_______________________

BRUSHFIRE ALERT
NOVEMBER 4, 2005
_______________________


* * * * * * * * * * * * *
CARSON CITY HE SAID/SHE SAID


School administrators in Carson City, Nevada, had a very...bad...day yesterday, thanks to y'all.

By the time school administrators went home, over 6,500 online petitions in support of history teacher Joe Enge had been sent to the school superintendent, the Carson High principal and the 7 members of the school board. Alas, the volume of emailed petitions overwhelmed the district, and by lunchtime the petitions were being "bounced" by the school district's system.

Then came the phone calls. At first, administration personnel tried fielding the flood of calls it was receiving, but by mid-afternoon most of you received recorded messages and/or were told the school board number had been "disconnected."

To say we got their attention would be an understatement. Indeed, I received a phone call from Superintendent Mary Pierczynski right after lunch.

As is to be expected, Dr. Pierczynski expressed a different version of what the brouhaha is all about. There are, after all, two sides to every story. This means what we have here a classic he said/she said situation. But whenever I tried to pin Dr. Pierczynski down on the details of the dispute, she resorted to, "That's a personnel matter and I can't discuss it." A bit too convenient for my taste.

So I suggested an open, public forum where Mr. Enge would tell his side of the story and Dr. Pierczynski could tell her side - followed up by some Q&A and "cross-examination" - and let the citizens and taxpayers decide for themselves. I even offered to host and mediate the discussion and agreed that any questions of a "personnel" manner would NOT be part of the debate. The topics for discussion would be curriculum and methodology...period.

To say I received a cold response to my proposal would be an understatement.

On the other hand, I pitched the same offer to Mr. Enge. Obviously, if his claims are factually inaccurate, he would suffer a very public embarrassment. Nevertheless, Mr. Enge's response to the forum proposal was, "Any place, any time."

Doesn't sound to me like a guy who's afraid of being exposed for exaggeration or obfuscation. On the other hand, Dr. Pierczynski DOES sound like she's running scared by hiding behind the convenient "official grievance procedure" dodge. I hope she reconsiders and agrees to debate these issues publicly in an attempt to resolve this conflict. After all, it's for the children, right?

Let me wrap this up with a few closing comments.

First, some folks have written me saying I'm being "duped" by Joe Enge. That he's a mediocre teacher and nothing but a trouble-maker. And the truth is...hey, maybe so. I don't know the guy personally. Have only met him once or twice. Anything's possible.

But I'll say this about him: He's backed up everything he's told me so far...and hasn't backed down when challenged. And if he truly is a "flake," then the school district shouldn't be afraid to confront, defend and counter the accusations he's made. So far, they've declined to do so. At least publicly in the light of day.

Second, one of the bones of contention in this matter is the content of the American history course in 11th-grade. The district seems to be spending more time on the pre-Civil War "refresher" this year than in years past; no doubt due, at least in part, to the complaints Mr. Enge has raised publicly in this regard. If true, that would tend to substantiate Mr. Enge's original complaint from three years ago. In any event, if students THIS year are getting a healthier dose of pre-Civil War history, whether due to Mr. Enge's actions or not...vundebar.

Third, an even bigger issue at play here isn't the content so much, as the methodology of instruction. I alluded to this a bit yesterday, and some aren't quite sure exactly what we're talking about. Let me try to explain it in, admittedly, simplistic terms.

If the subject is the Battle of Lexington, the traditional "teacher-centered" method of teaching is for the teacher to provide facts and figures regarding this dust-up; the student takes notes and learns the details.

The student-centered "discovery learning" method would include something like turning the school desks on their sides and having kids throw balled-up paper at each another from behind their "bunkers" to "feel" what it was like to be in a Revolutionary War-era fight. They then sit around in a circle and share with each other how they "felt" while in combat.

Good grief.

If, indeed, the high school principal is trying to force Joe Enge to embrace this kind of touchy-feely teaching methodology over traditional instruction, that is and should be of serious concern to parents and citizens. School administrators should be able to answer whether or not they are trying to force teachers into this fashionable but highly questionable method of teaching without violating the confidentiality of a "personnel matter." This isn't a personnel matter, if true. It's a public policy matter. And citizens have a right to know about it.

Third, while again admitting it is entirely possible that Joe Enge has pulled the proverbial wool over my eyes, an email from a purported teaching colleague at Carson High leads me to believe there are, indeed, a LOT of problems at that school. In near-hysterical, defensive and . In a nutshell, the man called me a liar in a note filled with elementary spelling, grammar, capitalization and punctuation mistakes. Indeed, the man insisted that teachers DO do a "revue" of the Revolutionary period.

Good lord.

Of course, this statement could be true if, say, teachers dress up in 1776-era costumes and re-enact Paul Revere's midnight ride - but somehow I don't think this is what the guy had in mind. In any event, such an error-filled note from a HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER is embarrassing - although I have no doubt this particular "don't rock the boat" teacher gets great "reviews" of his classroom performance.

OK, I'm going to stick with this issue and try to get to the bottom of it - but I recognize it may not be of as much interest to those of you in other parts of the country. So what I'm going to do is start a "blog" just on this matter titled "The Enge Files" and make regular updates as this develops. In the future, I'll just give you notice that a new entry has been made on the blog along with a synopsis of what it's about. If you're interested, you can then go online to "read all about it." If not...just ignore it.

In any event, thanks again for all your emails and phone calls on Thursday! You made one heck of a difference.

Chuck Muth
President
Citizen Outreach
 
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