Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Virginia history textbooks don't let pesky facts get in the way.


Virginia has a snafu on their hands.

"Our Virginia: Past and Present" is a history book used in 4th grade classes throughout Virginia--and the only history it uses is of the revisionist kind.

According to The Washington Post, the textbook says thousands of black men fought for the Confederates in the Civil War. In case you haven't heard, there was this little event called "slavery," and slavery doesn't usually lead to those same men picking up arms to fight for the right to be slaves. Crazy, right?

The entire Civil War in Virgina received a face-lift, according to Live Science. "Our Virginia" teaches:

a.) ..."more than 6,000 men" were killed/wounded/went missing at the two Battles of Bull Run, when actually 22,000 met that fate. Granted, my sharp math skills tell me 22,000 > 6,000.

b.) ...the Battle of Bull Run happened in 1862, when it happened a year earlier.

c.) ...that slavery was banned in January 1865, when it wasn't officially banned until December.

The writer of the textbook, Joy Masoff, says she used internet research for her facts--which included The Sons of the Confederacy website. Masoff is also quoted as saying, "I stand by what I write...I'm a fairly respected writer."

"I'm a fairly respected writer"? Wow, she can't quit revising the facts, can she?



No comments:

Post a Comment