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TOM MORGAN'S MONEY TALK
I do not believe it. You have no doubt seen the stories about the National Education Association's guidelines to teachers for teaching about 9/11. The guidelines encourage teachers to avoid casting blame on any group for the terrorist attacks. They encourage teachers to avoid taking one side over another in discussing 9/11. They suggest that a prime lesson from 9/11 should be about appreciating and getting along with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures. Another prime lesson should be about anger management and global awareness. I do not believe most American teachers will swallow this. In fact, there is some evidence that a lot of teachers have rejected it. And that is good news. The problem is that the NEA is trying to get teachers to teach there is no right or wrong. It has long done this. The idea is that our culture and beliefs are no better than the culture and beliefs of other people. In the case of 9/11, we are supposed to look at the culture that holds the idea that America is evil and needs punishing. This is basically what the NEA would like teachers to impart. It is rot. If it is not rot, we operate a country on a set of lies. For instance, our country, our culture believes that murder is wrong. Period. You may be angry with your neighbor. Your neighbor may have wronged you. But this does not entitle you to murder him. Murdering him is wrong. Some cultures do not believe this. They allow murder of your enemies. We believe it is wrong to deny people various freedoms. We believe it is wrong to jail people without trial (with exceptions for combatants). We believe people possess various human rights. Some cultures, some countries do not believe these things. They do not believe in these inalienable rights. They believe it is all right to deny freedom of speech, to mutilate young women against their will, to deny freedom of travel. They believe it is all right to sell kids into slavery. The NEA believes it is wrong for our teachers to teach that what these other people do is wrong in the eyes of our culture. I believe teachers should do exactly that. And if they do not, we may as well tear up our constitution. If teachers cannot teach what we in this culture believe is right or wrong, will they also not teach that murder in your hometown is wrong? In effect, the NEA is suggesting just that in its 9/11 guidelines. After all, several people carried out a murder of 3000 people in one of our hometowns. Teachers owe it to our kids to teach that this is wrong, no matter who was behind it. This has nothing to do with religion and the Ten Commandments. We keep a constitution that guarantees various rights. We enforce laws against murder, rape, mutilation and assorted other crimes against humanity. We do so because this culture holds certain values. If this country chooses to enforce such laws it must reflect the belief that this is right and that rape, murder, etc are wrong. If the NEA believes that teachers in government-run schools should teach otherwise, it should take the E out of its name. I cannot believe it comes close to representing the views of most Americans. Or the views of most of its teachers. From Tom...as in Morgan.
For more columns check http://www.thedailystar.com
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