Michael Gaynor
How school textbooks misreport the Clinton impeachment
By Michael Gaynor
The Associated Press's Ben Feller has written an article entitled "School Textbooks Tackle the Clinton Impeachment." For people who think of tackling as the kind of head-on tackling seen at football games, tackling is the wrong word. Mr. Feller's article indicates that the school textbooks are obfuscating (making obscure or confusing) instead of "tackling." The kind of contribution to the Hillary in 2008 campaign that will not be officially reported, because it is not money or property, but will be appreciated by the Clintons, each of whom indisputably misled the American people. One more scandal involving the Clintons. (If Hillary ever claims President Bush should have known that the Clinton Administration and the world's intelligence services were all wrong about the status of Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction plans and programs, and that he exhibited the kind of bad judgment that America cannot risk in a President, how will she explain how she was so gullible to believe that President Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinsky was pure?)
Mr. Feller opined that "[t]he impeachment of former President Clinton is in a gray area of history, too long ago to be a current event, too recent to be judged in perspective." Not gray. BLack and white. Cliton was impeached on specified articles of impeachment. And there were enough Democrats in the United States Senate to block conviction and removal from office. No Democrat Senator ever voted to convict an impeached President (the only two impeached Presidents — Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton — being Democrats).
Mr. Feller wrote that "history is already judging Clinton in the place where millions of students get their information about him — textbooks." Misjudging would be the right word, based on the evidence presented by Mr. Feller.
"Seven years after he was impeached in a scandal of sex, perjury and bitter politics, Clinton has become a fixture in major high school texts," Mr. Feller reported. A bit simplistic, but more accurate than the stuff in the textbooks.
"The impeachment is portrayed in the context of his two-term tenure, a milestone event, but not one that overshadows how Clinton handled the economy, crime and health care." Sure sounds like Congress was not in session, but for impeachment.
"The most commonly used texts give straightforward recaps of Clinton's toughest days, with some flavor of how it affected the nation. Absent are any the lurid details of his relationship with Monica Lewinsky that spiced up daily news reports and late-night talk shows as the scandal and impeachment played out in 1998 and early 1999." How about the "details" of lying under oath to gain an advantage in a civil lawsuit and then lying to the American people about his relationship with "that woman, Miss Lewinsky"?
Mr. Feller wrote: "'It should not be in the book for titillating purposes or settling scores,' said Alan Brinkley, the Columbia University provost who has written or contributed to several history text books. 'It should be in the book because of its significance to our recent history.'"
The pertinent facts and claims should be presented. Otherwise, the text is deceptive.
"'This is very difficult for everybody, because it's so fresh,' said Gilbert Sewall, director of the American Textbook Council, an independent research group that reviews history texts used in schools. 'It's easier to nail down history like the transcontinental railroad. With Clinton, you're dealing with material that has by no means been settled.'"
The fact and grounds of impeachment are settled. They won't change. The Senate's vote along party lines not to convict is settled too.
Writing of President Clinton, Mr. Feller stated: "Although he was acquitted in a Senate trial, Clinton was branded as the second president impeached for conduct in office." Branded meaning stigmatized. That's true. And deservedly so.
Mr. Feller helpful mentions some textbook treatment:
"The topic is covered briefly in middle school texts. McGraw Hill's 'The American Journey' offers a description that is representative of other accounts — balanced and methodical.
"'Although there was general agreement that the president had lied, Congress was divided over whether his actions justified impeachment,' the book says."
Divided along party lines. That fact needs to be known, not covered up!
"In McDougal Littell's 'The Americans,' a high school text, the topic merits two paragraphs. The same book gave more space to the impeachment of Andrew Johnson in 1868."
What proportionality!
"'The American Vision,' a McGraw Hill high school book written by Brinkley and others, spends five paragraphs on Clinton's impeachment and one more on his uncertain legacy.
"'Compression is a tremendous challenge,' Brinkley said. 'Five paragraphs on a topic is a lot for all but the most important issues.'
"Sometimes, the language gets blunt."
I sure hope so! People need to study history in detail. Set forth the pertinent facts. Don't whitewash.
"'A History of the United States,' a Pearson Prentice Hall high school text, refers to the impeachment scandal as 'a sorry mess' that diminished Clinton and his rivals." But "balanced" is not necessarily accurate or "fair."
"Polls showed most Americans did not believe Clinton's 'tortured explanations of his behavior,' the book says, but also did not think his offenses warranted his removal."
Tortured explanations? The DNA results on semen stains on Miss Lewinsky's blue dress forced President Clinton to admit he had been lying about his "relationship" with Miss Lewinsky!
"By the time students get to college, the textbooks, as expected, offer more sophisticated detail of the impeachment and the way it all changed American public life."
One should expect that.
"Yet at all levels, the salacious details of the Lewinsky affair are nowhere to be found."
Omit the "salacious details," but state the established facts! About lying, perjury, obstruction of justice, and President Clinton's disbarment.
"Middle school texts describe it as 'a personal relationship between the president and a White House intern.' In high school books, it is Clinton's 'improper relationship with a young White House intern,' or Clinton 'denied having sexual relations' with an intern.
These textbooks need more work!
"Students don't need the bawdy details to grasp the impeachment struggle, said Allan Lichtman, a presidential historian and professor at American University. But they do need textbooks that present the issue with as much depth as is practical, he said.
"'The books not only influence the students, they influence the teachers,' he said. 'And given that many students don't go on to college — and even those who do may not revisit the material — the textbook may be their most significant impression.'"
Now THAT is scary. And incentive to make sure the whole truth is told.
© Michael Gaynor
The Associated Press's Ben Feller has written an article entitled "School Textbooks Tackle the Clinton Impeachment." For people who think of tackling as the kind of head-on tackling seen at football games, tackling is the wrong word. Mr. Feller's article indicates that the school textbooks are obfuscating (making obscure or confusing) instead of "tackling." The kind of contribution to the Hillary in 2008 campaign that will not be officially reported, because it is not money or property, but will be appreciated by the Clintons, each of whom indisputably misled the American people. One more scandal involving the Clintons. (If Hillary ever claims President Bush should have known that the Clinton Administration and the world's intelligence services were all wrong about the status of Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction plans and programs, and that he exhibited the kind of bad judgment that America cannot risk in a President, how will she explain how she was so gullible to believe that President Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinsky was pure?)
Mr. Feller opined that "[t]he impeachment of former President Clinton is in a gray area of history, too long ago to be a current event, too recent to be judged in perspective." Not gray. BLack and white. Cliton was impeached on specified articles of impeachment. And there were enough Democrats in the United States Senate to block conviction and removal from office. No Democrat Senator ever voted to convict an impeached President (the only two impeached Presidents — Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton — being Democrats).
Mr. Feller wrote that "history is already judging Clinton in the place where millions of students get their information about him — textbooks." Misjudging would be the right word, based on the evidence presented by Mr. Feller.
"Seven years after he was impeached in a scandal of sex, perjury and bitter politics, Clinton has become a fixture in major high school texts," Mr. Feller reported. A bit simplistic, but more accurate than the stuff in the textbooks.
"The impeachment is portrayed in the context of his two-term tenure, a milestone event, but not one that overshadows how Clinton handled the economy, crime and health care." Sure sounds like Congress was not in session, but for impeachment.
"The most commonly used texts give straightforward recaps of Clinton's toughest days, with some flavor of how it affected the nation. Absent are any the lurid details of his relationship with Monica Lewinsky that spiced up daily news reports and late-night talk shows as the scandal and impeachment played out in 1998 and early 1999." How about the "details" of lying under oath to gain an advantage in a civil lawsuit and then lying to the American people about his relationship with "that woman, Miss Lewinsky"?
Mr. Feller wrote: "'It should not be in the book for titillating purposes or settling scores,' said Alan Brinkley, the Columbia University provost who has written or contributed to several history text books. 'It should be in the book because of its significance to our recent history.'"
The pertinent facts and claims should be presented. Otherwise, the text is deceptive.
"'This is very difficult for everybody, because it's so fresh,' said Gilbert Sewall, director of the American Textbook Council, an independent research group that reviews history texts used in schools. 'It's easier to nail down history like the transcontinental railroad. With Clinton, you're dealing with material that has by no means been settled.'"
The fact and grounds of impeachment are settled. They won't change. The Senate's vote along party lines not to convict is settled too.
Writing of President Clinton, Mr. Feller stated: "Although he was acquitted in a Senate trial, Clinton was branded as the second president impeached for conduct in office." Branded meaning stigmatized. That's true. And deservedly so.
Mr. Feller helpful mentions some textbook treatment:
"The topic is covered briefly in middle school texts. McGraw Hill's 'The American Journey' offers a description that is representative of other accounts — balanced and methodical.
"'Although there was general agreement that the president had lied, Congress was divided over whether his actions justified impeachment,' the book says."
Divided along party lines. That fact needs to be known, not covered up!
"In McDougal Littell's 'The Americans,' a high school text, the topic merits two paragraphs. The same book gave more space to the impeachment of Andrew Johnson in 1868."
What proportionality!
"'The American Vision,' a McGraw Hill high school book written by Brinkley and others, spends five paragraphs on Clinton's impeachment and one more on his uncertain legacy.
"'Compression is a tremendous challenge,' Brinkley said. 'Five paragraphs on a topic is a lot for all but the most important issues.'
"Sometimes, the language gets blunt."
I sure hope so! People need to study history in detail. Set forth the pertinent facts. Don't whitewash.
"'A History of the United States,' a Pearson Prentice Hall high school text, refers to the impeachment scandal as 'a sorry mess' that diminished Clinton and his rivals." But "balanced" is not necessarily accurate or "fair."
"Polls showed most Americans did not believe Clinton's 'tortured explanations of his behavior,' the book says, but also did not think his offenses warranted his removal."
Tortured explanations? The DNA results on semen stains on Miss Lewinsky's blue dress forced President Clinton to admit he had been lying about his "relationship" with Miss Lewinsky!
"By the time students get to college, the textbooks, as expected, offer more sophisticated detail of the impeachment and the way it all changed American public life."
One should expect that.
"Yet at all levels, the salacious details of the Lewinsky affair are nowhere to be found."
Omit the "salacious details," but state the established facts! About lying, perjury, obstruction of justice, and President Clinton's disbarment.
"Middle school texts describe it as 'a personal relationship between the president and a White House intern.' In high school books, it is Clinton's 'improper relationship with a young White House intern,' or Clinton 'denied having sexual relations' with an intern.
These textbooks need more work!
"Students don't need the bawdy details to grasp the impeachment struggle, said Allan Lichtman, a presidential historian and professor at American University. But they do need textbooks that present the issue with as much depth as is practical, he said.
"'The books not only influence the students, they influence the teachers,' he said. 'And given that many students don't go on to college — and even those who do may not revisit the material — the textbook may be their most significant impression.'"
Now THAT is scary. And incentive to make sure the whole truth is told.
© Michael Gaynor
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