Why are we lied to in school?

Question

In school we are taught that Columbus discovered America but Leif Erikson reached North America 400 years prior. Why are we not taught about that? Or that Oswald never actually killed Kennedy? Or that Bush and Cheney were in cahoots with Bin Laden and his family?

Answer 1

Good question!!!  You might want to read the book, Lies My Teacher Told Me.  I keep it on the shelf in my classroom and bring in the topics it discusses when they relate to the curriculum I teach.  I think it's a great way to teach children NOT to believe everything I say just because I'm a teacher.  

Answer 2

Poor you. The Lief Erikson story is true but the rest are conspiracy theories cooked up by people who can't accept simple solutions even if they are true. Erikson's discovery may not have led to settlement, so he is not given the credit that Columbus got.  

Answer 3

Well, at least one public school (the one I attended) tells you about Leif Erikson.  There wasn't a whole lot to tell, but still.  Don't forget that there were already people here when Erikson got here, too...

The other two are not fact...they're theories.  If they're taught in school, then they need to be taught along with the knowledge that "this may or may not be true...we don't really know."

There is no mass conspiracy of school administrators who set out to spread lies to all the students.  Sorry, for you conspiracy theory buffs out there...

Answer 4

Columbus did discover America.  He just didn't do it first.  

If you go somewhere and didn't know it was there, then you've discovered it. Regardless of how many people discovered it for you.

Answer 5

To get you ready for life in the real world, Lies Lies Lies.  

Answer 6

Well, the whole Columbus thing should be taught, I agree.  But the Kennedy thing is questionable and a teacher should definitely NOT teach that Bush and Cheney were in cahoots with Bin Laden.  That is one surefire way to get phone calls from parents and administrators questioning what you are teaching in the classroom.  It is WAAAAAY too political to tell students that and expect it to be OK.  It is kind of like telling your students who you voted for to be president.  You just don't do it!!

Answer 7

Actually, Leif the Lucky wasn't the first to discover North America either.  There were already people here when he got here.

Oswald may or may not have killed Kennedy.  The general feeling seems to be that the Warren Commission got it wrong, but the correct explanation still eludes us.

Bush and Cheney have been in cahoots with bin Laden's family, but not the man himself.  But, then, so have most modern presidents.  Osamin bin Laden is a royal prince of Saudi Arabia.

Answer 8

Because it makes no difference anyway.. You'll just get lied to your whole life in one way or another.

Answer 9

Because the Oswald theory is a conspiracy theory with no actual evidence that can be backed up, although there's nothing wrong with mentioning that there are people who believe it was someone else.  And if you start bashing the president in your classroom, you are pushing a political agenda, which we, as teachers, are not allowed to do.  

Answer 10

Erikson made it to Greenland and probably N. America.  It is in our history textbook, but there is not all that much to say.  Columbus "bumped" into N. America on accident but that led to Spanish and European domination of the continents.  So the Columbus story is more important in the long run.

Most teachers don't teach much after WW2.  The Kennedy assassination is "true crime" not history.  Please see my powerpoint on the Kennedy assassination on my US History website: sunsetrules.googlepages.com

The Saudi Arabian government is friends with the United States no matter who is President.  We buy billions of dollars worth of oil from them so of course we are friends with them.  Prince Bandar is friends with many heads of state.  

I'm glad you are passionate enough about history to care.  I reccommend a book called Lies My History Teacher Told Me by James Lowen

Answer 11

I applaud you for looking in to the reality that exists. You are one of the lucky and blessed ones, since you have seen the LIES that are perpetrated out there. And have thought about it enough to do something about it.  Continue to use your brain and 'the world's your oyster.'

The education system is not in place to EDUCATE you.  It has dumbed down sooooo many and its goal is to produce a country/world of 'happy consumers'.