Kristi Noem hates it when teachers encourage real critical thinking and public expression—Gov. Kristi Noem and Madison Howard’s Trump-impeachment mug, photo by Madison Howard, Vermillion, SD, 2019.05.30.
Whether on the left or the right, political violence is not the answer. Our political process, though contentious at times, works because we resolve issues through discussion and rigorous debate. Sometimes, political debate will include peaceful protests. Assembly is a tool, enshrined in the Constitution, to help drive a point home. Every American has a right to protest peacefully. That right ends where violence begins.
We saw a similar situation play out on Capitol Hill a few days ago. We were all appalled by it. Frankly, it was horrible to watch. Today, we have an opportunity to address the root cause of this problem: we must reform young Americans’ civic education.
Students should be taught our nation’s history and all that makes America unique. They should see first-hand the importance of civic engagement. And they should have robust discussions in the classroom so they can develop critical thinking skills.
Our young people need more experience engaging with elected officials and practicing the art of debate. It is also our responsibility to show them how government works [Gov. Kristi Noem, weekly propaganda release, 2021.01.15].
Noem’s column does not mention Donald Trump as the instigator of the January 6 insurrection. It does not mention the choice made by people like her to elect and defend Donald Trump, to promulgate and imitate his lies, and to refuse to call out and punish his abuses of power. It does not mention that, no matter how little Kristi Noem listened to the good South Dakota teachers she had at Hamlin High School and South Dakota State University, she should know better than to run interference for a criminal like Donald Trump. It does not mention that, no matter how bad their teachers are, the insurrectionists should know better than to vandalize and loot the United States Capitol, beat and kill Capitol Police officers, and then whine about facing consequences for their violent, anti-American actions. And Noem’s column does not mention that someone who had the privilege of attending the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania should have known better than to stand at the White House and declare that he loves the very special terrorists whom he inspired to stage a coup on his behalf.
It’s pretty clear who caused and carried out the January 6 insurrection. Even Noem’s former colleague in the United States House, Congressman and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, in his floor speech Wednesday during the impeachment debate, laid the blame on conservative rioters and Donald Trump:
Madam Speaker, let me be clear, last week’s violent attack on the Capitol was undemocratic, un-American and criminal. Violence is never a legitimate form of protest. Freedom of speech and assembly under the constitution is rooted in non-violence. Yet the violent mob that descended upon this body was neither peaceful nor democratic. It acted to disrupt Congress’s constitutional responsibility.
…Some say the riots were caused by Antifa. There was absolutely no evidence of that. And conservatives should be the first to say so.
…The President bears responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on Congress by mob rioters. He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding. These facts require immediate action by President Trump, accept his share of responsibility, quell the brewing unrest and ensure President elect Biden is able to successfully begin his term [Rep. Kevin McCarthy, floor speech against impeachment, United States House of Representatives, 2021.01.13].
Representative McCarthy blames Trump for what Trump did. But Governor Kristi Noem blames John Collignon, Tom Osterberg, Kenneth Reitzel, Gordon Tolle, Kent Kedl, Rodney Bell, John Miller, David Nelson, Eleanor Schwab, April Brooks, and David Crain, the people who taught me history, government, and philosophy. Kristi Noem blames Gail Means, Doc Miller, Harold Widvey, Doug Tschetter, Donus and Lovila Roberts, Judy Kroll, Sally Pies, Mitch Gaffer, Leo Kallis, Paul Harens, Jennifer Bergan, and the many other teachers and coaches from whom I learned the art of public speaking and debate. Kristi Noem blames Kerry Konda, Travis Dahle, Bob Spiers, Mike Larson, Scott Walker, and the other committed educators who continue to teach the very vital debate skills to which the Governor gives nothing but lip service.
Through years of lies and bullying, Donald Trump encouraged thugs to betray their country and commit mayhem and murder. And Kristi Noem blames your high school history teacher, your government teacher, your debate coach.
Donald Trump is responsible for the January 6 insurrection. By deflecting blame from Trump to further denigrate our hard-working and underpaid teachers, Kristi Noem is claiming her share of blame for any continuation of that insurrection.
Noem says she wants schools to teach American “exceptionalism” and accurate SoDak history. However, I haven’t yet seen a list of history items she thinks is being either omitted or taught inaccurately now. Is there such a list?
mike from iowa
Noem’s side of the equation is the side hat needs boning up on civics and civility/reality. Most of the pre-invasion speakers boosted the riot that broke out on it’s murderous way to the capitol. Noem is no smarter than the self titled “stable genius” who just had his orange ass impeached for the second time.
Ray Tysdal
Her obvious choices would be the elimination of science and math.
David Newquist
I still think the transcript for her college degree needs to be examined. The circumstances of its conferment are suspect and might well qualify for revocation,
“Bad” teachers, as confirmed again by Mr. H in this blogging, are but one of the SILT. No more money should go to them.
Donald Pay
In large part Noem misunderstands American history. “Violence is as American as cherry pie,” in H. Rap Brown’s words. White violence is the norm. Sure, whites learned to wrap their violence in fancy legal terms, like “riot boosting,” dressed it up in blue uniforms and call it “law and order.,” while criminalizing protest. This insurrection at the Capitol Building seems so out of the ordinary. But it’s not. Historically, from the very beginning of this nation whites used violence and fraud. It’s in the American DNA. Her family’s ag operation is on land stolen from people who were decimated by white violence. And the violence continues. What Nick Tilson did in the protests this summer in the Black Hills is nothing compared to the white fools who insurrected at the White House. Yet, we’re seeing these entitled white criminals coddled with misdemeanors, while Tilson faces years in prison. But that’s law and order for minorities, entitlement for whites.
Sam2
Noem is correct. I believe most high school students and many college student could not pass the test for United States Citizen ship that all naturalist citizens had to pass. Cost of educations is out of control along while quality of graduates is well below graduates many other countries. (Europe, China, India)
chris
As the South Dakota National Guard has mobilized to attend to some unknown role in the DC inauguration, and since that force is erstwhile under the control of an insurrectionist governor, perhaps it would “be best” to not include their number anywhere the inauguration. Noem’s past and current radicalized views and support of conspiracy theories about the legitimacy of the election show that she is unfit for office and unfit to issue orders to any military force as the governor of a state in the United States. She has tarnished the reputation of the SD national Guard and their presence in the nation’s capital will and should now be viewed and received with suspicion and mis-trust, due to her vocal defiance the result of the 2020 presidential election, her encouragement of sedition, and her de facto support of the insurrectionists’ attack on the Capitol.
Dan B.
Seems like she favors civic engagement when white MAGA’s do it but definitely against the civic engagement of BLM…..
Donald Pay
Sam2, partly right. Clearly, we can improve civics education. I doubt you could pass a test, however, because you don’t seem to know your facts very well. College costs to students are high, but that’s because we’ve defunded higher education at the state level, and off-loaded those costs onto families and student debt. We’ve been through this “quality” argument for 40. This started in he early 1980s when Japan was going to surpass the US because our schools were supposedly “not adequate.” Here’s the problem: the top Chinese, European and Indian students come to the US for undergrad or graduate degrees. Explain why that happens if higher ed is so bad here.
John
Honest civic studies of the human habitation of what later politically became the US and SD must begin with something similar to the Great Course: Ancient Civilizations of North America. Then transition to the subjugating and erasing those civilizations, largely through violence. The noem national civics course must also include our 400-year history of slavery and Jim Crow, including occurrences in SD (York, Eliza Brown, brief tours by a Buffalo Soldier regiment, KKK groups, etc.).
Honest studies of the civics of SD must include those chapters of Ancient Civilizations and then at least 6 key events violently, unlawfully subjugating those civilizations. Those invasive events likely include:
1. The 1742 Verendrye expedition. 2. The 1804-06 Lewis and Clark Expedition. 3. The 1862 Dakota War – the most deadly combat between settlers and Natives, resulting, in parts: of the taking of the lands for the noem farm, and the largest mass execution in US history. The US preceded the Dakota War by breaking several treaties. 4. The 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty – soon thereafter, broken, and recognize as broken by the US Supreme Court. 5.The 1874 Black Hills Expedition, which violated a treaty. 6. The 1876 Battle of Greasy Grass (Little Bighorn).
Ideals are peaceful. History is violent. “Wardaddy Collier” in Fury.
Noem’s Furries-idea of South Dakota history and civics is her fictional dogma, an idealized indoctrination of a polite debating society. The historical civic truths include that nearly, almost always, when an aggrieved party needed a human right or dignity from the comfortable status-quo people – that the aggrieved party had to resort to a form of violence. One must first understand the grievance(s), their legitimacy, before one is able to understand the violence. Status-quoes rarely yield power or favor to a mere debate. If those in power did give way to reason then we wouldn’t have gerrymandering in South Dakota.
The Jan 6th insurrection and sedition was resultant from the lies and propaganda from the president, to noem, to senators, to some media , and the algorithm social media echo chambers, and not from any legitimate election grievance. Yet, red-staters do have legitimate economic grievances about being left behind. Though it’s more accurate writing those voters are leaving themselves behind by electing false prophets like trump, noem, the SD senators, and state legislature – who clearly do not put the needs of their constituents ahead of the asks from their donors.
Fast Eddy
I have long thought that there was general ignorance of civics and history… in Congress and the state houses. Everyone who runs for public office should have to pass a civics test. And they should periodically have to take a refresher course on government. Knowing how to use Twitter is not a qualification for public office. As for civics curriculum for schools or for public office I would leave it to the educational community. Noem is trying to wrest civics education from experts to expand her own ambitions. For our own sakes we must run her out of office ASAP.
How ‘bout Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States” as atext ??
bearcreekbat
Here is a link to all the questions that are possible on the naturalization test. Ten test questions are randomly selected by the officer administering each test and to pass you have to correctly answer six of the ten correctly.
John makes a good point about some historical events that perhaps should be part of any history/civics curriculum, including the 1862 Dakota War. One unfortunate detail about that particular bit of history is that the State of Minnesota paid whites a $20 or so bounty per head to simply murder Native Americans, with claims for payment based on delivering the scalps of each victim. Minnestota was not alone, however, as Cormac McCarthy’s historical fiction “Blood Meridian or The Evening Redness in the West, (1985)” tragicly describes in horrible detail, adding evidence to support Don’s point, quoting H. Rap Brown, that “Violence is as American as cherry pie.”
Donald Pay
If you want to teach a lesson in civics, why not use the Madison Howard incident as a way to talk about First Amendment rights and how a young person stood up for her rights in the face of massive overreaction by Governor Noem and Girls State officials. I’m still incensed by Noem’s blatant attempt to coerce Madison Howard into giving up her rights because of an ego trip by a fascist official (Noem).
Yeabut
Must haves in these fine points of history and civics are some of the following:
1. how to coerce fellow members of your party and staff into supporting your proposals and fund raisers
2. how to create a budget surplus by not using all of money allotted by the federal government for a pandemic
3. how making false claims shortly before election day can sway voter opinions
4. how making midnight flights to DC can allow you to gain favor with the most powerful person in the US.
I am sure others will think of more, but my favorite is why farmers’ seed caps are rounded in the front.
If you don’t know, here’s the correct response; from peering into the mailbox looking for another government check.
o
Has Governor Noem’s endorsement of peaceful protests included kneeling for the National Anthem?
At the middle/upper levels of education, I have seen the exceptionalism of the US be the focus of wonderful critical thinking, questioning if the US has lived up to the magnificent goals Jefferson outlined, how it has fallen short, how it has succeeded, and how those answers differ when viewed from people in different circumstances.
Her point is VERY well taken that we need to teach critical thinking when it comes to accepting the word of political leaders in lieu, if not in opposition, of evidence. The majority of Republicans still believe the 2020 Presidential election was stolen; that is a problem. Let’s be careful anytime “education” is being used as a synonym for indoctrination.
mike from iowa
bcb, is that the new drumpf issued naturalization test that is much harder to pass than before (for obvious drumpfian reasons)?
Jake
Grudz, as usual when teachers are the topic you lambast the ‘bad’ teachers from your past! Did one bark your knuckles or paddle your copious ass to give you a reason?
bearcreekbat
mfi, the top of the test says “rev. 1-19” so this version seems to be relatively current.
jerry
Like the yellow Gadsden Flag for instance. This is the white supremist flag that was also flown at the terrorist attack on January 6 in our capitol by white guys and gals. The updated designer of this flag, was a slave owner and trader. “Gadsden was a slave owner and trader, who built Gadsden’s Wharf in Charleston, South Carolina, which was a major slave-trading site. As many as 40% of enslaved Africans who were brought to the U.S. first arrived there. The site is slated to be the home of the International African American Museum, which estimates that 150,000 captured Africans came through the wharf, and that between 60% and 80% of today’s African Americans can trace an ancestor to the trade there.”
gnoem needs to make sure that our exceptionalism and economy, were built on the backs of slavery. Booyah! Black Lives damn sure mattered then to do the work.
gnoem’s American history needs to make sure to cover extensively the genocide practices against Native Americans nationally as well as right here in South Dakota to steal the lands. Make sure to quote the “outrage” of Vladimir Thune and governor Daugaard for the change of name from Harney Peak to Black Elk Peak. Harney was a cold blooded murderer while Black Elk was a dignified man of peace. Clear to see why they were outraged, how dare anyone challenge facts when cover ups work so well.
Bring back Maria Butina from Russia so the supremist republican kidss can go to summer camps and hear a real spy to look up to. Yes, nothing says more about exceptionalism than being a traitor to democracy and it will only cost us $900.000. Why not ask the pillow guy for the loot, he seems to be all in on destroying this democracy.
Otter
Texas textbook wars…
Jake
Donald Pay-and Cory-I’d like to see a re-posting of the 2019 incident where a S. D. Girl’s State delegate was so badly maligned and name-smeared by this governor’s office. How does one recover it, Cory?
SD is 20 per cent nonwhite
Capitol riot was fomented by college graduate T***** and law school graduate Giuliani and presumably college educated Mo Brooks.
Nome can not Trum*ify our K-12 schools. These all, including Noem, are people dedicated to lying and ignoring the truth.
The truth will allow us to remake our state into the prosperous tolerant, all inclusive State it should be.
Donald Pay
Jake, If you click on the link in the photo above you get back to that article.
Noem is just like Guilliani’s “alternate facts” to fit her and the GOP’s agenda. They are just SO branded now by a big scarlet letter “T”, or MAGA. And as a whole, they deserve it and need some soul-searching done.
mike from iowa
Thanks as always, bcb. That is the revised, longer and harder test designed to make more immigrants fail.
“Our young people need more experience engaging with elected officials and practicing the art of debate. ” Governor Noem should follow this example when speaking with constituents.
Mark Anderson
What’s the real deal is his twitterness is days away from any real power at all. All he can do is to continue to make the Republican party unelectable nationally. Kristi has no place to go and her ambitions have skyrocketed so you guys are stuck with her. You will also receive many, many retiring rednecks from the sane parts of the country who want to bask in “freedom”. Sorry South Dakota but you still have a beautiful state, poor, but beautiful.
robin friday
Just gotta say it was the now absent-from-the-picture (defunct?) Kellyanne Conway who coined the term “alternative facts” for all of Trumpworld. I’d like to forget her but I can’t.
Imagine if your teacher gave you a blank sheet of paper, no questions written on it.
Doesn’t make sense, right?
Without recognizing the teachers’ union as a proximate cause of some of our very serious issues (the problem to solve), it’s like handing a blank test to a hapless youngster who neither learns anything or passes tests (is 0/0 100%?)
Teachers have no say in the educational requirements for their job. In some states, it’s 6 years full time to earn certification, spending great deals of time, money, and jumping through hoops. They take classes and attend countless workshops throughout their careers. Student loans for life and purchasing supplies for the students. Whoopie! How many of you spend time at home doing work you can’t get done during the day? How many of you go in to work on Sunday to prepare for the week?
Teachers do not write the curriculum or standards, the Department of Education does and usually with no teachers involved. Noem has instructed her administration to create curriculum and develop materials for history and civics. Easy to say Noem, when has the department ever supplied materials before? Teachers are handed the standards and then told create their own materials during their summers off.
I challenge all of you who criticize teachers to substitute at a school before you say anything more. Easy to be a critic when you’ve never walked in their shoes so you have no idea what you’re talking about. They do the best that they can with what they have and in S.D. it’s extremely limited. Remember, unlike private or religious schools, ALL children are welcome at public school because ALL children deserve the same excellent education no matter where they live.
Usually those who criticize are pushing an agenda for charter schools or vouchers which I am adamantly against. Their only purpose is to choose and pick who attends and we ALL know who those students would be.
M
Why do the history standards need to be changed? To exclude or include what?
What kind of civics? Character Counts or How to Become a Whiter Supremist?
Bill
Noem is still parroting her fallen hero Donald J. Trump who once threatened funding of California schools that teach the New York Times 1619 Project. He pushed for a more “pro-American” history in school curriculum. Schools could well be improved but there are many other factors contributing to the riots in D.C. that need fixing.
Jake
John Dale, You blaming teacher’s unions for educational problems is nothing more than blathering of stupidity. Prove me wrong?
o
John Dale, your anti-union trolling needs to be put to the critical thinking test we are discussing in this topic. Your political views here are the very infection of political talking points in lieu of thoughtful discussion and critical, evidence-based thinking.
Allow me to take the role a good civics classroom would on your comment: Mr. Dale, please elaborate:
1). how is SDEA (the SD teacher union) the specific “proximate cause of some of our very serious issues? ”
2). What are those issues?
3). Why do you ignore the role of local school boards and the State Department of Education in the creation of curriculum (the issue at hand here)?
Anne
While we like to honor freedom of speech and the exchange of ideas, so much time is wasted and damage is done by engaging those who cannot determine and assess facts and are driven only to denigrate all that is not their own malign egos.
Owen
Great Column Cory. I can’t state how angry I was after ready what Noem had said.
You mentioned my dad, Ken Reitzel, and if he was alive today he’d be incensed at what Noem said. Every Social Teacher should be pissed and stand up and be heard. Noem just slapped all of the great teachers in the face.
My dad was a liberal and everyone knew it. But when it came to teaching about how our government works and it’s history he bent over backwards to be fair. During a presidential election he’d have 2 rooms-one for students who supported Republicans and 1 for students who supported Democrats. He’d have speakers from both parties talk to his classes and then the kids would vote using sample ballots provided by the Lake County Auditor. The votes would be counted and of course Republicans would win. But you never heard fake election or other BS coming from my dad’s mouth. The winners were the winners.
Yes, I’m pissed and my dad is buried in Noem’s hometown of Castlewood, so it wouldn’t be to hard for Noem to find his gave and apologize to him. But, of course, she won’t.
One more thing I’d like to ask Noem. Exactly what does she want teachers to teach? Don’t be vague. Tell us specifically.
Grudz and John Dale obviously don’t respect public education, perhaps they had a bad experience so they whine about it and blame teachers who are easy targets because they can’t publicly defend themselves. Instead you should be grateful that you were ALLOWED to stay in school if you had the same mentality then as you do now.
You see, public schools welcome ALL students and they do whatever it takes to help those students succeed in whatever their God given talents are. That’s why our youth LOVE going to school. Take that away from them and depression sets in.
You see Grudz and John Dale, they are given a first class education by teachers, coaches, support staff, admin, bus drivers, and yes let’s not forget the secretaries. Everyone is there for the our sacred children. Visit your local school so you can exorcise that bad experience and then maybe you’ll be inspired to volunteer.
grudznick
Mr.. Owen, it was Mr. H who blogged about and linked to an article about a bad teacher, confirming that level of the SILT exists. It probably couldn’t have been your father, if he is buried in Castelwood. Unless he was very recently buried, and I am sorry for your loss if that is the case.
It sure irks some when all grudznick does is point out there are levels of teachers (at least seven) and that some of them are on the low side of average. Some of you are irked, indeed.
bearcreekbat
M hit the nail on the head with the observation ” let’s not forget the secretaries.” For an in depth look at everything a school secretary does, which might even put a smile on your face, check out the song “School Secretary” by Hank and Marianne Fridell (it is #2 of the two songs listed on the left hand side of the bottom of the link). Enjoy!
Michael Brubaker
Gov. Noem doesn’t have a clue of our current educational system. In all probability she hasn’t been a classroom since she graduated from HS.
I invite her to spend three (3) full and continual days in a classroom with the same teacher in the same school. Perhaps have her choose the same school district from where she attended or right there in Pierre. In this manner, she will find a true picture of what is really happening. Have her sit in on parent conferences and deal with the shortage of supplies and deal with the statutes governing the classrooms. Have a look at the facilities. Look at the supplies the educators have due to dollars available for the classroom. Ask the support staff what they could use to assist the students (if the district can afford support staff.) Perhaps this will, hopefully, open her eyes and understand that which our professional educators are facing. These professionals need help from our state government and need it now.
Roger Elgersma
Noem does not make it public when she has town hall meetings. Neither does Mike Rounds. They do not like public debate with democrats because they do not want to face their flaws in public or probably anywhere else either.
Jake
Grudz-you are correct (unusually tho) re: “levels of teachers”. I ( had 20+ yrs of experience working with many) have seen those levels. But, they do bear a lot of the responsibility of building society up-not tearing it down as have the past 4 years of national chaos under the Republican mantle.
Question is-would YOU advocate for more $$$$ to them or to the so-called ‘job creators’ of the GOP mind-set of tax reform?!
mike from iowa
McCTurtlefartface finaklly admits the obvious role drumpf had in inciting insurrection. What wasn’t mentioned was McCTurtlefartface’s complicity in not holding drumpf accountable for any of his misdeeds.
As for Noem blaming teachers for the insurrection and claiming left wing indocrination that is so severe South Dakota needs to reform its civics curriculum, it seems these teachers have done a poor job of indoctrinating the State’s voters to riot and oppose Democrats. As John Tsitrian points out today in the Standard (linked by DFP):
South Dakota[‘s current] . . . education system has turned out a population that went for Trump by better than 60% in the last two elections and routinely sends an overwhelmingly conservative Republican majority to our state legislature election after election.
If redoing the system can change this sad state of affairs then maybe Noem’s idea is worth pursuing, albeit not for the goals she espouses!
mike from iowa
Why bore noem nothing with details when she is so good at blaming everyone else for her failures? Besides, you hardly need her maskless, incompetent face in a school for three minutes, let alone three days.
Chances of your run of the mill magat having an epiphany and coming to the educated, reality side are not good.
Noem says she wants schools to teach American “exceptionalism” and accurate SoDak history. However, I haven’t yet seen a list of history items she thinks is being either omitted or taught inaccurately now. Is there such a list?
Noem’s side of the equation is the side hat needs boning up on civics and civility/reality. Most of the pre-invasion speakers boosted the riot that broke out on it’s murderous way to the capitol. Noem is no smarter than the self titled “stable genius” who just had his orange ass impeached for the second time.
Her obvious choices would be the elimination of science and math.
I still think the transcript for her college degree needs to be examined. The circumstances of its conferment are suspect and might well qualify for revocation,
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“Bad” teachers, as confirmed again by Mr. H in this blogging, are but one of the SILT. No more money should go to them.
In large part Noem misunderstands American history. “Violence is as American as cherry pie,” in H. Rap Brown’s words. White violence is the norm. Sure, whites learned to wrap their violence in fancy legal terms, like “riot boosting,” dressed it up in blue uniforms and call it “law and order.,” while criminalizing protest. This insurrection at the Capitol Building seems so out of the ordinary. But it’s not. Historically, from the very beginning of this nation whites used violence and fraud. It’s in the American DNA. Her family’s ag operation is on land stolen from people who were decimated by white violence. And the violence continues. What Nick Tilson did in the protests this summer in the Black Hills is nothing compared to the white fools who insurrected at the White House. Yet, we’re seeing these entitled white criminals coddled with misdemeanors, while Tilson faces years in prison. But that’s law and order for minorities, entitlement for whites.
Noem is correct. I believe most high school students and many college student could not pass the test for United States Citizen ship that all naturalist citizens had to pass. Cost of educations is out of control along while quality of graduates is well below graduates many other countries. (Europe, China, India)
As the South Dakota National Guard has mobilized to attend to some unknown role in the DC inauguration, and since that force is erstwhile under the control of an insurrectionist governor, perhaps it would “be best” to not include their number anywhere the inauguration. Noem’s past and current radicalized views and support of conspiracy theories about the legitimacy of the election show that she is unfit for office and unfit to issue orders to any military force as the governor of a state in the United States. She has tarnished the reputation of the SD national Guard and their presence in the nation’s capital will and should now be viewed and received with suspicion and mis-trust, due to her vocal defiance the result of the 2020 presidential election, her encouragement of sedition, and her de facto support of the insurrectionists’ attack on the Capitol.
Seems like she favors civic engagement when white MAGA’s do it but definitely against the civic engagement of BLM…..
Sam2, partly right. Clearly, we can improve civics education. I doubt you could pass a test, however, because you don’t seem to know your facts very well. College costs to students are high, but that’s because we’ve defunded higher education at the state level, and off-loaded those costs onto families and student debt. We’ve been through this “quality” argument for 40. This started in he early 1980s when Japan was going to surpass the US because our schools were supposedly “not adequate.” Here’s the problem: the top Chinese, European and Indian students come to the US for undergrad or graduate degrees. Explain why that happens if higher ed is so bad here.
Honest civic studies of the human habitation of what later politically became the US and SD must begin with something similar to the Great Course: Ancient Civilizations of North America. Then transition to the subjugating and erasing those civilizations, largely through violence. The noem national civics course must also include our 400-year history of slavery and Jim Crow, including occurrences in SD (York, Eliza Brown, brief tours by a Buffalo Soldier regiment, KKK groups, etc.).
Honest studies of the civics of SD must include those chapters of Ancient Civilizations and then at least 6 key events violently, unlawfully subjugating those civilizations. Those invasive events likely include:
1. The 1742 Verendrye expedition. 2. The 1804-06 Lewis and Clark Expedition. 3. The 1862 Dakota War – the most deadly combat between settlers and Natives, resulting, in parts: of the taking of the lands for the noem farm, and the largest mass execution in US history. The US preceded the Dakota War by breaking several treaties. 4. The 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty – soon thereafter, broken, and recognize as broken by the US Supreme Court. 5.The 1874 Black Hills Expedition, which violated a treaty. 6. The 1876 Battle of Greasy Grass (Little Bighorn).
Ideals are peaceful. History is violent. “Wardaddy Collier” in Fury.
Noem’s Furries-idea of South Dakota history and civics is her fictional dogma, an idealized indoctrination of a polite debating society. The historical civic truths include that nearly, almost always, when an aggrieved party needed a human right or dignity from the comfortable status-quo people – that the aggrieved party had to resort to a form of violence. One must first understand the grievance(s), their legitimacy, before one is able to understand the violence. Status-quoes rarely yield power or favor to a mere debate. If those in power did give way to reason then we wouldn’t have gerrymandering in South Dakota.
The Jan 6th insurrection and sedition was resultant from the lies and propaganda from the president, to noem, to senators, to some media , and the algorithm social media echo chambers, and not from any legitimate election grievance. Yet, red-staters do have legitimate economic grievances about being left behind. Though it’s more accurate writing those voters are leaving themselves behind by electing false prophets like trump, noem, the SD senators, and state legislature – who clearly do not put the needs of their constituents ahead of the asks from their donors.
I have long thought that there was general ignorance of civics and history… in Congress and the state houses. Everyone who runs for public office should have to pass a civics test. And they should periodically have to take a refresher course on government. Knowing how to use Twitter is not a qualification for public office. As for civics curriculum for schools or for public office I would leave it to the educational community. Noem is trying to wrest civics education from experts to expand her own ambitions. For our own sakes we must run her out of office ASAP.
How ‘bout Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States” as atext ??
Here is a link to all the questions that are possible on the naturalization test. Ten test questions are randomly selected by the officer administering each test and to pass you have to correctly answer six of the ten correctly.
John makes a good point about some historical events that perhaps should be part of any history/civics curriculum, including the 1862 Dakota War. One unfortunate detail about that particular bit of history is that the State of Minnesota paid whites a $20 or so bounty per head to simply murder Native Americans, with claims for payment based on delivering the scalps of each victim. Minnestota was not alone, however, as Cormac McCarthy’s historical fiction “Blood Meridian or The Evening Redness in the West, (1985)” tragicly describes in horrible detail, adding evidence to support Don’s point, quoting H. Rap Brown, that “Violence is as American as cherry pie.”
If you want to teach a lesson in civics, why not use the Madison Howard incident as a way to talk about First Amendment rights and how a young person stood up for her rights in the face of massive overreaction by Governor Noem and Girls State officials. I’m still incensed by Noem’s blatant attempt to coerce Madison Howard into giving up her rights because of an ego trip by a fascist official (Noem).
Must haves in these fine points of history and civics are some of the following:
1. how to coerce fellow members of your party and staff into supporting your proposals and fund raisers
2. how to create a budget surplus by not using all of money allotted by the federal government for a pandemic
3. how making false claims shortly before election day can sway voter opinions
4. how making midnight flights to DC can allow you to gain favor with the most powerful person in the US.
I am sure others will think of more, but my favorite is why farmers’ seed caps are rounded in the front.
If you don’t know, here’s the correct response; from peering into the mailbox looking for another government check.
Has Governor Noem’s endorsement of peaceful protests included kneeling for the National Anthem?
At the middle/upper levels of education, I have seen the exceptionalism of the US be the focus of wonderful critical thinking, questioning if the US has lived up to the magnificent goals Jefferson outlined, how it has fallen short, how it has succeeded, and how those answers differ when viewed from people in different circumstances.
Her point is VERY well taken that we need to teach critical thinking when it comes to accepting the word of political leaders in lieu, if not in opposition, of evidence. The majority of Republicans still believe the 2020 Presidential election was stolen; that is a problem. Let’s be careful anytime “education” is being used as a synonym for indoctrination.
bcb, is that the new drumpf issued naturalization test that is much harder to pass than before (for obvious drumpfian reasons)?
Grudz, as usual when teachers are the topic you lambast the ‘bad’ teachers from your past! Did one bark your knuckles or paddle your copious ass to give you a reason?
mfi, the top of the test says “rev. 1-19” so this version seems to be relatively current.
Like the yellow Gadsden Flag for instance. This is the white supremist flag that was also flown at the terrorist attack on January 6 in our capitol by white guys and gals. The updated designer of this flag, was a slave owner and trader. “Gadsden was a slave owner and trader, who built Gadsden’s Wharf in Charleston, South Carolina, which was a major slave-trading site. As many as 40% of enslaved Africans who were brought to the U.S. first arrived there. The site is slated to be the home of the International African American Museum, which estimates that 150,000 captured Africans came through the wharf, and that between 60% and 80% of today’s African Americans can trace an ancestor to the trade there.”
gnoem needs to make sure that our exceptionalism and economy, were built on the backs of slavery. Booyah! Black Lives damn sure mattered then to do the work.
gnoem’s American history needs to make sure to cover extensively the genocide practices against Native Americans nationally as well as right here in South Dakota to steal the lands. Make sure to quote the “outrage” of Vladimir Thune and governor Daugaard for the change of name from Harney Peak to Black Elk Peak. Harney was a cold blooded murderer while Black Elk was a dignified man of peace. Clear to see why they were outraged, how dare anyone challenge facts when cover ups work so well.
Bring back Maria Butina from Russia so the supremist republican kidss can go to summer camps and hear a real spy to look up to. Yes, nothing says more about exceptionalism than being a traitor to democracy and it will only cost us $900.000. Why not ask the pillow guy for the loot, he seems to be all in on destroying this democracy.
Texas textbook wars…
Donald Pay-and Cory-I’d like to see a re-posting of the 2019 incident where a S. D. Girl’s State delegate was so badly maligned and name-smeared by this governor’s office. How does one recover it, Cory?
Capitol riot was fomented by college graduate T***** and law school graduate Giuliani and presumably college educated Mo Brooks.
Nome can not Trum*ify our K-12 schools. These all, including Noem, are people dedicated to lying and ignoring the truth.
The truth will allow us to remake our state into the prosperous tolerant, all inclusive State it should be.
Jake, If you click on the link in the photo above you get back to that article.
Jake, Donald sees it! Click that photo, then weigh in on Noem’s commitment to civics education, free expression, and debate.
Thanks, Don. Noem is so like Secretary of State Pompeo’s speech to Voice of America : https://www.rawstory.com/mike-pompeo/
Noem is just like Guilliani’s “alternate facts” to fit her and the GOP’s agenda. They are just SO branded now by a big scarlet letter “T”, or MAGA. And as a whole, they deserve it and need some soul-searching done.
Thanks as always, bcb. That is the revised, longer and harder test designed to make more immigrants fail.
https://laist.com/latest/post/20201202/trump-administration-citizenship-test-harder-uscis
“Our young people need more experience engaging with elected officials and practicing the art of debate. ” Governor Noem should follow this example when speaking with constituents.
What’s the real deal is his twitterness is days away from any real power at all. All he can do is to continue to make the Republican party unelectable nationally. Kristi has no place to go and her ambitions have skyrocketed so you guys are stuck with her. You will also receive many, many retiring rednecks from the sane parts of the country who want to bask in “freedom”. Sorry South Dakota but you still have a beautiful state, poor, but beautiful.
Just gotta say it was the now absent-from-the-picture (defunct?) Kellyanne Conway who coined the term “alternative facts” for all of Trumpworld. I’d like to forget her but I can’t.
Imagine if your teacher gave you a blank sheet of paper, no questions written on it.
Doesn’t make sense, right?
Without recognizing the teachers’ union as a proximate cause of some of our very serious issues (the problem to solve), it’s like handing a blank test to a hapless youngster who neither learns anything or passes tests (is 0/0 100%?)
Excuse me .. “nor passes tests”.
da da, ching.
Teachers have no say in the educational requirements for their job. In some states, it’s 6 years full time to earn certification, spending great deals of time, money, and jumping through hoops. They take classes and attend countless workshops throughout their careers. Student loans for life and purchasing supplies for the students. Whoopie! How many of you spend time at home doing work you can’t get done during the day? How many of you go in to work on Sunday to prepare for the week?
Teachers do not write the curriculum or standards, the Department of Education does and usually with no teachers involved. Noem has instructed her administration to create curriculum and develop materials for history and civics. Easy to say Noem, when has the department ever supplied materials before? Teachers are handed the standards and then told create their own materials during their summers off.
I challenge all of you who criticize teachers to substitute at a school before you say anything more. Easy to be a critic when you’ve never walked in their shoes so you have no idea what you’re talking about. They do the best that they can with what they have and in S.D. it’s extremely limited. Remember, unlike private or religious schools, ALL children are welcome at public school because ALL children deserve the same excellent education no matter where they live.
Usually those who criticize are pushing an agenda for charter schools or vouchers which I am adamantly against. Their only purpose is to choose and pick who attends and we ALL know who those students would be.
Why do the history standards need to be changed? To exclude or include what?
What kind of civics? Character Counts or How to Become a Whiter Supremist?
Noem is still parroting her fallen hero Donald J. Trump who once threatened funding of California schools that teach the New York Times 1619 Project. He pushed for a more “pro-American” history in school curriculum. Schools could well be improved but there are many other factors contributing to the riots in D.C. that need fixing.
John Dale, You blaming teacher’s unions for educational problems is nothing more than blathering of stupidity. Prove me wrong?
John Dale, your anti-union trolling needs to be put to the critical thinking test we are discussing in this topic. Your political views here are the very infection of political talking points in lieu of thoughtful discussion and critical, evidence-based thinking.
Allow me to take the role a good civics classroom would on your comment: Mr. Dale, please elaborate:
1). how is SDEA (the SD teacher union) the specific “proximate cause of some of our very serious issues? ”
2). What are those issues?
3). Why do you ignore the role of local school boards and the State Department of Education in the creation of curriculum (the issue at hand here)?
While we like to honor freedom of speech and the exchange of ideas, so much time is wasted and damage is done by engaging those who cannot determine and assess facts and are driven only to denigrate all that is not their own malign egos.
Great Column Cory. I can’t state how angry I was after ready what Noem had said.
You mentioned my dad, Ken Reitzel, and if he was alive today he’d be incensed at what Noem said. Every Social Teacher should be pissed and stand up and be heard. Noem just slapped all of the great teachers in the face.
My dad was a liberal and everyone knew it. But when it came to teaching about how our government works and it’s history he bent over backwards to be fair. During a presidential election he’d have 2 rooms-one for students who supported Republicans and 1 for students who supported Democrats. He’d have speakers from both parties talk to his classes and then the kids would vote using sample ballots provided by the Lake County Auditor. The votes would be counted and of course Republicans would win. But you never heard fake election or other BS coming from my dad’s mouth. The winners were the winners.
Yes, I’m pissed and my dad is buried in Noem’s hometown of Castlewood, so it wouldn’t be to hard for Noem to find his gave and apologize to him. But, of course, she won’t.
One more thing I’d like to ask Noem. Exactly what does she want teachers to teach? Don’t be vague. Tell us specifically.
My dad’s “grave”
Hey, Grudgz. You calling my dad a “bad” teacher?
Required reading for Noem.
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education-k-12/reports/2019/12/14/478750/strengthening-democracy-modern-civics-education/?fbclid=IwAR13OhVlKnEIs28pFFl9NKuCbOizApR_EQJ-Wi9-FGDjAXaQDX4sgdpbwS4
Grudz and John Dale obviously don’t respect public education, perhaps they had a bad experience so they whine about it and blame teachers who are easy targets because they can’t publicly defend themselves. Instead you should be grateful that you were ALLOWED to stay in school if you had the same mentality then as you do now.
You see, public schools welcome ALL students and they do whatever it takes to help those students succeed in whatever their God given talents are. That’s why our youth LOVE going to school. Take that away from them and depression sets in.
You see Grudz and John Dale, they are given a first class education by teachers, coaches, support staff, admin, bus drivers, and yes let’s not forget the secretaries. Everyone is there for the our sacred children. Visit your local school so you can exorcise that bad experience and then maybe you’ll be inspired to volunteer.
Mr.. Owen, it was Mr. H who blogged about and linked to an article about a bad teacher, confirming that level of the SILT exists. It probably couldn’t have been your father, if he is buried in Castelwood. Unless he was very recently buried, and I am sorry for your loss if that is the case.
It sure irks some when all grudznick does is point out there are levels of teachers (at least seven) and that some of them are on the low side of average. Some of you are irked, indeed.
M hit the nail on the head with the observation ” let’s not forget the secretaries.” For an in depth look at everything a school secretary does, which might even put a smile on your face, check out the song “School Secretary” by Hank and Marianne Fridell (it is #2 of the two songs listed on the left hand side of the bottom of the link). Enjoy!
Gov. Noem doesn’t have a clue of our current educational system. In all probability she hasn’t been a classroom since she graduated from HS.
I invite her to spend three (3) full and continual days in a classroom with the same teacher in the same school. Perhaps have her choose the same school district from where she attended or right there in Pierre. In this manner, she will find a true picture of what is really happening. Have her sit in on parent conferences and deal with the shortage of supplies and deal with the statutes governing the classrooms. Have a look at the facilities. Look at the supplies the educators have due to dollars available for the classroom. Ask the support staff what they could use to assist the students (if the district can afford support staff.) Perhaps this will, hopefully, open her eyes and understand that which our professional educators are facing. These professionals need help from our state government and need it now.
Noem does not make it public when she has town hall meetings. Neither does Mike Rounds. They do not like public debate with democrats because they do not want to face their flaws in public or probably anywhere else either.
Grudz-you are correct (unusually tho) re: “levels of teachers”. I ( had 20+ yrs of experience working with many) have seen those levels. But, they do bear a lot of the responsibility of building society up-not tearing it down as have the past 4 years of national chaos under the Republican mantle.
Question is-would YOU advocate for more $$$$ to them or to the so-called ‘job creators’ of the GOP mind-set of tax reform?!
McCTurtlefartface finaklly admits the obvious role drumpf had in inciting insurrection. What wasn’t mentioned was McCTurtlefartface’s complicity in not holding drumpf accountable for any of his misdeeds.
https://www.rawstory.com/capitol-riot-2650020281/
As for Noem blaming teachers for the insurrection and claiming left wing indocrination that is so severe South Dakota needs to reform its civics curriculum, it seems these teachers have done a poor job of indoctrinating the State’s voters to riot and oppose Democrats. As John Tsitrian points out today in the Standard (linked by DFP):
If redoing the system can change this sad state of affairs then maybe Noem’s idea is worth pursuing, albeit not for the goals she espouses!
Why bore noem nothing with details when she is so good at blaming everyone else for her failures? Besides, you hardly need her maskless, incompetent face in a school for three minutes, let alone three days.
Chances of your run of the mill magat having an epiphany and coming to the educated, reality side are not good.