Teacheranon here. Q mentioned we should compare old textbooks to new ones. Sure enough, I got a free sample history textbook (circa 2018) from NatGeo from a peer, and holy hell does it comes with a twist ending.
Attached are the highlights from the 'modern era' chapter towards the end of the book. Some interesting details:
>Fluff piece on Obama and Flotus
>Birther explanation
>Section on Globalization that starts with how the days of America factory production is over (lol)
>Black Lives Matter being mentioned at least once every other chapter, with a dedicated section
>Section on the 2016 election that…
>>>Lists Trump platform as building a wall, deporting Muslims, and repealing OC/NAFTA
>>>Reference to Clinton/Dem emails being 'hacked' by (((Russian agents)))
>>>Lists 'colluded' and 'Robert Mueller' as Vocabulary terms (LOL)
>>>"Muh popular vote" argument w/ accompanying electoral map, yet didn't include it in the Obama section for some reason….
Besides that, it reads as the same USII history textbook you had in high school with way more supplemental sections about African Americans from the era in question sprinkled throughout, which is good because it helps reach a wider variety of students who are having trouble relating to American history (they got a point, its a lot of white faces).
Not that it matters, but I feel the need to point out none of my personal opinions make their way into the classroom. My students are given the tools to make the best decisions for their own well-being, like good Americans. When the time comes to make hard choices, I trust they will be equipped with the ability to think for themselves. I would be doing them a disservice otherwise. Its hard being a Trump supporting educator in the inner city! Re-posted for visibility.