I. for one strongly agree. Respect must be earned, not just assumed along with the ego-boost of authority so many that don't deserve it seem to get.

So in the military one might argue that respect for authority is important. However that only makes my point MORE valid for the rest of the populace. We should not be militarizing the citizenry. That is the basic model for progressivism which they got early on by viewin the Prussian state under Bismark.

For civilians, the person in authority might deserve respect because they have earned it. But I question the whole "respect for the office" idea among civilians. I need have zero respect for the office of the president if I do not think that the president has respect for my rights as an individual citizen. His office is actually nothing without my (our) delegation of powers to him.

The history of this country is replete with civil disobedience and lack of respect for authority. Remember the Boston Tea Party and the Lexington Green? You think that redacting those events from school history texts is a more balanced perspective?

You and I often disagree on various topics, but I find your comment here to be just too out there. I want ALL of our history taught--the good and the bad as well as the causes of each and the results and consequences.

It should mean questioning the derivation of authority. If the authority is granted via the Constitution and its intent, it should be granted and respected under those auspices. If the authority is extra-Constitutional, we have the right to deny the claim to authority in the first place.

+1. History MUST take into proper context the values and practices of the day, which is why it is so easy to present it in a biased view. It really takes a lot of effort to actually put one's self into the position of someone who lived in the past because it means recognizing how that is different from today.

Yes, the kids are pretty impressive. I just hope the idea spreads throughout.

Yes, I find this story pretty horrifying and I'm really impressed that the kids have developed enough individualism to stand up to it.

What do you see, everyone? I see a student body determined to keep a lie, agreed-upon, in history classes today. They seem to think they know everything. But much of what they "know" is wrong.

It seems to me that "respect for authority" is an inappropriate value in a democracy/republic. Nobody should respect authority per se as all authority is merely delegated from the citizens. In fact, what should be instilled is respect for the citizens so that those with the delegated authority recognize for whom they work.

I question the validity of the "conservative majority" on the school board. It sounds from the article as if they are wanting to make it so authority is not questioned. When I was in school back in the 60's, I learned both the good and the bad. I was fascinated with the westward expansion of our country. How it was done, how it affected the native population and who the predominate players were. Of course in that era, I was also captivated by the space exploration and science. It helped that my uncle worked for a major computer company and was on loan to NASA, so I got up close and personal with some of the players in that expansion. On the science side it was nuclear, both explosions (bombs) and unlimited power generation. I participated in the generation side as a Navy Nuclear Operator. But again, the good and the bad came out in my studies. Overall, my training was varied and in some aspects, exotic. But I always kept and modified my ideals and it made great impressions on my conscious and subconscious mind. I feel these kids are right to protest and make their ideals known and hopefully impact the school board's decision.

It sure used to.

As stated when this same topic was posted yesterday...
http://www.galtsgulchonline.com/posts/15...

Centralized public education has at its heart the intention to mold young minds with the propaganda devised by those who currently hold power.
I am in favor of exposing the skeletons in the closets of all the empires that have imposed their will by force. However this must be counter-balanced by the honest reporting of all the good that was done under those regimes.
To expect any powerful central system of education to do this without bias is naive folly.

Citizenship and patriotism in America should mean questioning authority.

By downplaying or even eliminating civil disobedience and including respect for authority in reference to patriotism and citizenship, it appears that we're attempting to propagandize good little 'brown shirts'.

They confuse learning critical thinking skills with applying modern values and standards on people who lived in a different era.

Some of the history is portrayed in a negative light... It is not the unvarnished history that should be of concern or the portrayal of America as a generally (though not perfect) benevolent and righteous nation. In relative terms this is the truth. It is the portrayal and slanting of it being generally an evil empire that should concern. This has been the recent problem. Although one could argue that recent events could one day be righteously viewed in such a light.