TX Republican Party's 2012 Platform Opposes Teaching "Critical Thinking Skills"

aeroblogger

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No Comment Necessary: Texas GOP's 2012 Platform Opposes Teaching "Critical Thinking Skills" - NYTimes.com
The Republican Party of Texas's 2012 platform has a plank on "Knowledge-Based Education" that reads:

We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student's fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.

It also says, "[e]very Republican is responsible for implementing this platform." Party spokespersons say the plank should not have included the line on "critical thinking," but that it will remain unchanged until 2014.
nutjobs :rolleyes:
 

mattster

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Re: TX Republican Party's 2012 Platform Opposes Teaching "Critical Thinking Skill

Obviously, the Texas GOP is going to oppose it.

The essence of "Critical Thinking" is to question everything, and this would include your "fixed beliefs" including the Bible, Quran or whatever religion was force-fed to you since you were born.

Now how the heck would a party that is so dependent on the evangelical and religious-conservative vote support such a platform.

W.G.Ewald - What the heck has basic education got to do with which state your from ??
What makes a Californian or New Yorker unqualified to talk about about education in Texas or anywhere else in the United States ??

Ultimately education is about dispensing Critical Thinking skills and basic knowledge to students so that they can compete on their own.
Its not about sustaining a certain set of indoctrinated values/beliefs that have been pounded into your head by your parents !!
If those beliefs have value and merit in the eyes of the student - then they should hold, even if they are challenged by the education a student receives.
 

asianobserve

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Re: TX Republican Party's 2012 Platform Opposes Teaching "Critical Thinking Skill

"critical thinking" the basis of creativity and innovation... This is becoming ironic: Chinese are encouraging critical thinking in their education to foster innovation and creativity (following America's established example) while (Texan) Americans seem to be discouraging it... America is doomed if these Texan Republicans rule the US government!
 
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W.G.Ewald

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asianobserve

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Re: TX Republican Party's 2012 Platform Opposes Teaching "Critical Thinking Skill

America will be doomed by 4 more years of 0bama.

Schoolchildren are not allowed to engage in "critical thinking" about the president.

LiveLeak.com - High school teacher tells student he can be arrested for criticizing Obama
Those high school teachers must be Tea Party activists. They're teaching lies...poor students... The STUPIDIZATION OF AMERICA. Even if I am not an American I know that no American or even foreigners in America can be arrested for merely criticizing the President of America... unless of course you criticize your President and then seriously threaten his body, life or his family then that is another matter altogether...

Look:

 

Damian

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Re: TX Republican Party's 2012 Platform Opposes Teaching "Critical Thinking Skill

Well I'am considering myself as a right winger and conservative, but I completely don't understand such point of view!

For these conservatives and right wingers that I know, critical thinking is one of many, important aspects of life. If argument that this is because the majority of Texas Republicans are a religious types and this is the issue, then these guys definetly do not know what are ideals of true right winger... among many it is critical thinking (or whatever this is called) and freedom of the individual man.

The essence of "Critical Thinking" is to question everything, and this would include your "fixed beliefs" including the Bible, Quran or whatever religion was force-fed to you since you were born.

Now how the heck would a party that is so dependent on the evangelical and religious-conservative vote support such a platform.
After some thinking I think that this is a problem of all big right wing and conservative parties, that sooner or later majority of important members becomes a religious nuts that try to force such idiotic ideas... but maybe this is because I'am Atheist and I have biased point of view on this subject.
 

asianobserve

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Re: TX Republican Party's 2012 Platform Opposes Teaching "Critical Thinking Skill

(redundant)
 

Damian

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Re: TX Republican Party's 2012 Platform Opposes Teaching "Critical Thinking Skill

But asking questions about God is one or should be one of most important aspects of life of a beliver... hey I was also going to church before I lost a faith (after reading bible). This is a right of individual person, after asking a questions and finding answers You can belive more, do not belive, or start to prise a polar bears as manifestation of god/gods.

This in my opinion should be one of these things, freedom to belive or not belive, one of these ideals prised and defended by all conservatives... this however begins to look just the same as communist times in my country "critical thinking? You damn imperialist pig, you can't doubt, party always have right!", just the same scheme.
 

aeroblogger

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Re: TX Republican Party's 2012 Platform Opposes Teaching "Critical Thinking Skill

America will be doomed by 4 more years of 0bama.

Schoolchildren are not allowed to engage in "critical thinking" about the president.

LiveLeak.com - High school teacher tells student he can be arrested for criticizing Obama
With all due respect, I wouldn't consider a discussion on whether the president pushed a girl when he was younger or not to be critical thinking.

Equipping students with analytical and critical thinking skills are absolutely essential. America needs an intelligent, innovative population - not one which blindly follows whatever is told to them.
 

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