Isabel Brown @theisabelb Apr 6 Teenagers are sharing photos of their AP U.S. Government textbooks, and the sheer amount of indoctrination is wildly disturbing.

Apparently, Barack Obama is ideologically a right wing authoritarian.

Hillary Clinton and George W Bush are entirely indistinguishable politically.

Donald Trump is of course virtually the same as Hitler.

@tedcruz is apparently more radically authoritarian than Fidel Castro AND Joseph Stalin..??!!??

@Linda_McMahon — can we expedite some major changes to American public education?

https://xcancel.com/theisabelb/status/2041263575373652302#m

Reposted by elon musk

  • PKMKII [none/use name]
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    5 days ago

    It’s real, page 673. Appears they got the chart by plugging in “characteristics” of the figures. Although unsurprisingly, it’s presented as a “do you agree or disagree with the chart?” thought exercise, not a “this is authoritative political truth.”

  • duderium [he/him]
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    5 days ago

    Wtf I love american high school social studies textbooks now

  • trabpukcip [he/him]
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    5 days ago

    Taught AP for a few years, history, not gov. There are about a dozen qualified textbooks to choose from; textbook adoption is a whole process. They're generally pretty fine, content wise; standard college liberalism.

    It seems like the hubbub is related to the concept of the political compass, which is a pretty antiquated and inaccurate measurement of political beliefs (as we've discussed ad nauseam).

    But this is obviously right wing outrage bait

  • Ilixtze@lemmy.ml
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    5 days ago

    This sounds too accurate to be American textbooks. I imagined that they teach high schoolers that Vietnam was won by Rambo, and the classes pertaining the middle east are just screenings of the Jarhead sequels.

  • Flyberius [comrade/them]
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    5 days ago

    For those or if the loop, what is the AP Government textbooks and why are they so correct?

    • Llituro [he/him, they/them]
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      5 days ago

      AP US Government is a high school class, this one usually taken by seniors (final year), that culminates in a standardized exam that is administered globally and a high score on which is usually an accepted substitute for college credit. Most public universities especially accept AP exams in order to give credits for usually courses that would be outside of a student's major field of study. No clue why this one is so correct: when I took this class in high school the book was not memorable and my teacher was a barely veiled cryptofascist.

      • PKMKII [none/use name]
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        5 days ago

        I think there’s some rule where every public high school is required to have one cryptofash/libertarian history teacher.

        • Llituro [he/him, they/them]
          ·
          5 days ago

          mine was "oops all fascists." we had such wonders as "antonin scalia superfan who chose being a swim coach and teacher over being a constitutional law fascist," "slumlord that wanted to teach so he could coach football," "capitalist teaching for the health insurance and to indoctrinate kids in ayn rand thought with a 'who is john galt?' sticker on his wall, taught european history, became fascist town councilperson," and "most liberal guy is a neoliberal reader of the Economist"

        • hellinkilla [they/them, they/them]
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          5 days ago

          I had a teacher who's dad was refugee from GDR. it was horrible! he used to talk about it all the time, to explain to us the misery his father had escaped, that us privileged kids had no concept of. it was especially bad because nobody had freedom to own a car. instead the trains went everywhere. and people had bikes and walked a lot. Also the food was very good and people were quite healthy. A true horror show!!

          was literally the first good thing I ever heard about communism.

        • super_mario_420 [he/him, comrade/them]
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          5 days ago

          Mine used to prop open a window in the classroom using a bust of Lenin and would say "would you kindly let some fresh air in, Lenin?" every time. Alas I was too young and politically oblivious to understand how based he probably was. He was kinda old already then, so I doubt he's still kicking it. Potential RIP to a real one 🫡

  • Damarcusart [he/him, comrade/them]
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    5 days ago

    These textbooks have to be approved by the Texas board of education before they're allowed to be used anywhere in the country, I find it highly dubious that US high school textbooks are actually like this. Seems much more likely this is just right wing bullshit fearmongering, wouldn't surprise me if this is made up using AI or something.

      • Damarcusart [he/him, comrade/them]
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        5 days ago

        It is, but Texas purchases the largest number of textbooks in the country, so if they refuse to purchase them, it means the printing companies lose out on lots of money. (especially since if Texas refuses all the Southern states will also likely refuse as well)

          • Damarcusart [he/him, comrade/them]
            ·
            5 days ago

            Yeah, like most censorship in the US, it isn't some nefarious government official putting books on the official state ban list, it's private companies working together to maximise their profiteering off of keeping the public as ignorant as possible.

  • Dr_Pepper
    ·
    5 days ago

    After watching this minute long video of someone I have never seen before, I loathe this person and I loathe Twitter even more. Every tweet is just hundreds of responses asking grok something.

  • iByteABit [comrade/them]
    ·
    5 days ago

    Comrade American department of education? Is this some kind of broken clock right twice a day kind of situation

  • infuziSporg [e/em/eir]
    ·
    4 days ago

    "Excuse me Mrs. WWE Education Secretary, can we use executive power more strongly to mandate the ideological perspective that is conferred to our kids in schools? Just to set the record straight that we're not authoritarian."

  • DasRav [any, any]
    ·
    5 days ago

    Sounds based. I am sure this is all very factually presented and not empty online outrage.