Education Texas Lesson Plan Instructs Students to Design Flags for a ‘New Socialist N

[Woods Racing Transmission]

If you wish to bash educators in Texas, how about we look at that the fact we are in the bottom 10 of the 50 states on dollar per student spent on education yet in the top 20 in performance results. Our teachers are asked to do more with less and do so very well. C-Scope is a curriculum tool that "some" districts use, lots of districts do not. For those not aware there are 254 counties in our state, how many school districts (see below)? As of 2012 the U.S. is 30th in math, 14th in reading and 20th in science while China is #1 in all three areas. I am not promoting communism but please feel free to assume, we do live in a free country. I am right wing but have seen the damage done when people claim to act on their version of "religion". Here are some more interesting facts, there are 1032 public school districts in Texas, the teacher to student ratio is 14.5 to 1 and just over 50% of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch. I am thinking you may wish to complain about some of those issues but hey if you wish to holler about 1 lesson plan out thousands, have at it. If you are wondering I am a school Principal, a disabled veteran and not a communist, but if I were, would I not have the right in this country?

Trash, you need to do a little more research on CSCOPE. This is one of many lessons that teach about communism most of these lessons seem to show it in a faltering fashion. I would also say that there is way more than "some" districts that use it. 70-80% is more like it. You are correct when you say CSCOPE is a "curriculum tool" but it also contains many lesson plans that teach incorrect history, promote Islam, Socialism, Communism, and does not teach anything about American exceptional-ism. If you want to know more about it do your own research. BTW Waco and Midway schools use it.

[Baron Von Crowder]

Again the media reports something half ass to stir up controversy.

On the way home I was listening to 96.7 and the guys got someone one the phone from STAAR or one of those organizations and he explained it.

That flag was only PART of the exercise and education on economic principals. Texas state requires teacher to teach about Socialism/Communism/Free Market. When they teach these they need to require, visualization, communication and reading about these structures. Drawing a Socialist flag was one part of the whole lesson. They later did a Venn diagram or something to that nature for the free market structure. There was also something that they did visually for the Communist structure.

So who fucking cares? Everyone hears that kids drew a flag and have no sense of what else they did. Everyone jumps to conclusions our education system is fucked up and teachers are pushing liberalism/socialism on our kids. WRONG

The sky is falling!

[FATHERFORD]

Again the media reports something half ass to stir up controversy.

On the way home I was listening to 96.7 and the guys got someone one the phone from STAAR or one of those organizations and he explained it.

That flag was only PART of the exercise and education on economic principals. Texas state requires teacher to teach about Socialism/Communism/Free Market. When they teach these they need to require, visualization, communication and reading about these structures. Drawing a Socialist flag was one part of the whole lesson. They later did a Venn diagram or something to that nature for the free market structure. There was also something that they did visually for the Communist structure.

So who fucking cares? Everyone hears that kids drew a flag and have no sense of what else they did. Everyone jumps to conclusions our education system is fucked up and teachers are pushing liberalism/socialism on our kids. WRONG

Sure don't want them drawing no damn flag of utopia.

[8mpg]

Sure don't want them drawing no damn flag of utopia.

Its 20 minutes... what else should they do for visual based education on Socialism?

[juiceweezl]

Again the media reports something half ass to stir up controversy.

On the way home I was listening to 96.7 and the guys got someone one the phone from STAAR or one of those organizations and he explained it.

That flag was only PART of the exercise and education on economic principals. Texas state requires teacher to teach about Socialism/Communism/Free Market. When they teach these they need to require, visualization, communication and reading about these structures. Drawing a Socialist flag was one part of the whole lesson. They later did a Venn diagram or something to that nature for the free market structure. There was also something that they did visually for the Communist structure.

So who fucking cares? Everyone hears that kids drew a flag and have no sense of what else they did. Everyone jumps to conclusions our education system is fucked up and teachers are pushing liberalism/socialism on our kids. WRONG

What does drawing a socialist flag have to do with learning about a socialist country. Show a picture of the USSR flag on the screen/in a book, explain what it was about (oppression, failed economy, and ultimately a failed country), and then discuss why the system sucks. I'm pretty sure they can learn all of that without drawing/making a stupid flag.

As for the China comments, I'm curious to know if they educate EVERY kid or if they selectively choose at an early age those showing the most potential.

[8mpg]

The goal for the kids were to show symbols and ideas of socialism and express them.

If you people cant suck up your own philosophy and take a minute and learn about something outside your box, our world is doomed. Just because you dont like it doesnt mean it is wrong. Learn something about a different system, culture, etc...

And no, I dont think socialism is good. I work my ass off and paid a shit ton of taxes and do not want others to benefit at my expense. I can however learn about something different and try to understand other peoples' flawed logic

[Woods Racing Transmission]

here is one of the lessons.


Text from the lesson.



In Texas CSCOPE High Schools Students study about communism and socialism and then create a new flag for a new socialist Nation–

Is the US to be the new socialist nation? Via Common Core Standards, Obama is teaching our children how wonderful socialism is and that communism is even better.

CSCOPE is the prelude to having the Obama Common Core Standards in our schools. Via our Texas School Superintendents, who are studying how to implement Common Core, our state Education services centers are setting in place the perfect technology framework called CSCOPE.

Following are the instruction from the CSCOPE activity directing students to design a socialist/communist flag.

[Vertnut]

You gotta love how the imagery shows communism at the top of the chart, with capitalism at the bottom, with the upward arrow. Nice touch.

[Woods Racing Transmission]

Check out the assignment below which is also part of the same lesson where students draw and color a new communist flag. They are to use EXCERPTS FROM THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO during their lesson.

[Vertnut]

The irony to this is that most kids can't pick states out on a map or recite state capitals. Hell, we had to learn all the state capitals, all the U.S. presidents, and the preamble to the Constitution. We didn't give a damn what the commies were doing.

[Baron Von Crowder]

You gotta love how the imagery shows communism at the top of the chart, with capitalism at the bottom, with the upward arrow. Nice touch.

The arrow shows "Goverment control and Planning" while the guys is walking up the stairs of money.

I guess you guys being all up in arms is due to the fact that you can look at this and see something you dont like, or you can look at it and see what you do like. IMHO, the teachers are going to make the biggest differece in this, by pointing out the pro/con of how all of this works.

[Woods Racing Transmission]

Here is a AP report on what went down at the Texas Senate hearings on Jan 31 2013. If you care about our kids and what they are being taught I urge you to watch the hearings. You can download them from the Senate's AV archive list.



Top education leaders in the state Senate on Thursday grilled the creators of a curriculum system used across Texas that critics claim promotes anti-American values and stifles classroom flexibility.

CSCOPE is an electronic curriculum management system that offers Web-based lesson plans and exams designed to help teachers adhere to state educational requirements. It is now used in 875 school districts _ more than 70 percent of districts statewide _ and is supposed to be flexible enough for teachers to alter content to meet their individual needs.

But some teachers have complained CSCOPE it too rigid, and conservative activists say it promotes biased, progressive ideology.

A string of witnesses before the Senate Education Committee raised those concerns, criticizing the program for lacking transparency and promoting liberal values they said were anti-Christian at best and openly socialist at worst.

One witness compared the system to "mind control," while an algebra teacher wept as he described quitting because he felt he was "aiding and abetting a crime" by using CSCOPE in his classroom.

"Discontent is rampant across the state," said Peggy Venable, a frequent critic of public schools who is the Texas director of Americans for Prosperity.

Defending the system was Wade Lebay, director of state CSCOPE at the Region 13 Education Service Center in Austin. He said CSCOPE offers about 1,600 model lessons districts can access for a fee of $7 per student, though additional training for teachers on how to use the system can increase the per-pupil price.

"It's built by teachers, designed by teachers and that's what's powerful about CSCOPE," Lebay said. His is one of 20 service centers statewide that serve as liaisons between school districts and the Texas Education Agency, which oversees public schools.

Senators asked Lebay about complaints some lesson plans promoted pro-Islam ideals, or described participants of the Boston Tea Party as terrorists.

Lebay was even asked to read part of a sixth grade lesson plan that showed different countries' flags and instructed students to "notice that socialist and communist countries use symbolism on their flags." It went on to ask students what symbols they would use if they were to create a flag for a new socialist country.

First-term Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, asked, "Does that sound like we're sympathizing with those types of countries?" He later said he found the lesson plan "very egregious as a Texan and an American."

Linda Villarreal, director of the Region 2 Education Service Center in Corpus Christi, responded, "We have 1,600 lessons, so to take just this one is...." Taylor cut her off asking, "Who is reviewing these 1,600 plans?"

Another first-year senator, Donna Campbell, a San Marcos Republican, complained about the uniformity CSCOPE imposes _ though Lebay and Villareal argued it was necessary to ensure teachers best-adhere to complicated state curriculum requirements.

"Our teachers don't need to be scripted," Campbell said.

Education Committee Chairman Dan Patrick said he'd never met a teacher who wasn't critical of CSCOPE.

The Houston Republican also objected to what he called the program's lack of transparency, complaining parents can't access lesson plans. CSCOPE's creators say such materials aren't available publicly because of intellectual property concerns, but elected officials should be allowed access. Patrick noted, though, that Barbara Cargill, chairwoman of the State Board of Education, had requested a password to see the lessons but was ignored for months.

"What you all are doing could be great. But it's obviously not. It's obviously a mess right now," Patrick said. "It's really, really troubling to me."

Returning to complaints about the Boston Tea Party lesson he added: "It's amazing that when you all called our founding fathers terrorists, in Texas, that you thought that wasn't going to cause problems."

Also Thursday, Patrick unveiled a bill seeking to overhaul high school graduation requirements to better emphasize "workforce development."

The measure would create a state-funded, eighth grade career and technical exploratory course to help students choose classes they want to take in high school. Patrick then wants to allow students to choose between three academic paths in grades 9 through 12: a vocational plan featuring electives in business and industry, one built around science and technology, or a third option stressing arts and humanities electives.

Students still would have to take core courses _ and pass state standardized tests _ in math, science, social studies and language arts.

Endorsing Patrick's measure was "Jobs for Texas," a coalition of 19 industry trade organizations that says Texas students must be better-prepared for high-tech jobs.

"I believe every person has this great gift that God gives them of a talent. And we all have different talents," Patrick said. "We're going to create some flexibility within the system to tap into those talents. Once a student finds something that they love to do, they can just really flourish."

[Vertnut]

The arrow shows "Goverment control and Planning" while the guys is walking up the stairs of money.

I guess you guys being all up in arms is due to the fact that you can look at this and see something you dont like, or you can look at it and see what you do like. IMHO, the teachers are going to make the biggest differece in this, by pointing out the pro/con of how all of this works.

It's the "imagery" I'm speaking of. Of course I know what it means. Kids see the imagery.

[Baron Von Crowder]

It's the "imagery" I'm speaking of. Of course I know what it means. Kids see the imagery.

I'm not going to dissagree with the first glance look. Im saying that the teacher can explain in more detail what they are seeing, in order to keep the "at a glance" from being what the kids stop at.

I dont like that the image looks like it does causaully, but we have to rely on the teachers to do their jobs.

[svauto-erotic855]

If you wish to bash educators in Texas, how about we look at that the fact we are in the bottom 10 of the 50 states on dollar per student spent on education yet in the top 20 in performance results. Our teachers are asked to do more with less and do so very well. C-Scope is a curriculum tool that "some" districts use, lots of districts do not. For those not aware there are 254 counties in our state, how many school districts (see below)? As of 2012 the U.S. is 30th in math, 14th in reading and 20th in science while China is #1 in all three areas. I am not promoting communism but please feel free to assume, we do live in a free country. I am right wing but have seen the damage done when people claim to act on their version of "religion". Here are some more interesting facts, there are 1032 public school districts in Texas, the teacher to student ratio is 14.5 to 1 and just over 50% of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch. I am thinking you may wish to complain about some of those issues but hey if you wish to holler about 1 lesson plan out thousands, have at it. If you are wondering I am a school Principal, a disabled veteran and not a communist, but if I were, would I not have the right in this country?

Screw government schools. As a nation we were better educated and had a higher literacy rate before there were government schools. Teacher to student ratio, dollars spent per student, and all of the other buzz words used by professional "Educators" is just a bunch of bull shit. Look at the experiment run in Milwaukee in the mid 90's. Unlimited federal funding given to inner city schools produced ZERO results; in fact their test scores dropped. When the Feds freaked out over the results and asked for an accounting for the $100,000,000 they had given to the school district the administrators scattered like roaches with the lights turned on.

Home school your children if you want them to learn to learn.