“As more schools try to revise US history, it has been found that Guyer High School in Denton, Texas is using an AP History book [United States History: Preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination] that completely changes the 2nd amendment in an attempt to try to “’simplify’ what it says,” gunsnfreedom.com reports. As the gun blogger points out, simple here means dead wrong. “The people have a right to keep and bear arms in a state militia”? The U.S. Supreme Court’s Heller decision establishes that the actual Second Amendment—“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed”—protects an individual right to keep and bear arms. TTAG called the Denton Independent School District about the kerfuffle. Their Director of Communications wanted to communicate an important fact . . .
“This is a supplemental text,” Sharon Cox asserted. To clarify, I asked her if Denton ISD AP teachers were telling students that the right to keep and bear arms is an individual right. “Yes sir,” she responded. “They are. The teachers are disseminating the correct information. This is just a summary.”
A couple of hours later, she sent me the following press release:
Thank you for your interest in our textbook.
The main history book that is utilized in the Advanced Placement U.S. History class for juniors in Denton ISD is titled: American Pageant. This is a history book that has had a strong reputation for historical facts for many years. The American Pageant, the official textbook, gives the exact Bill of Rights.
The book in question, U.S. History: Preparing for Advanced Placement Exams, is a supplement instructional aid and not the official textbook for any history classes. In this supplement, it states that the following is a “summary statement.” The teachers and staff are aware of this “summary statement” and are teaching the amendments from the classroom textbook, American Pageant. The only approved textbook for these classes is American Pageant. All other materials are “supplemental.”
Please be assured that Denton ISD history teachers are disseminating the correct information on the Second Amendment.
Ms. Cox couldn’t say if the offensive material would be removed from the Denton teachers; only that it’s been available to Guyer High School since 2005. She also said that the School District reviews its textbook choices every year. Ms. Cox declined to disclose whether or not United States History: Preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination will face new scrutiny for the 2014 school year.
The book in question is on a list of texts available to public schools provided by the Texas Education Agency. We’ve got a call in there too.