About Texas Schools’ Holocaust Teaching: Your Point of View Isn’t As Important As Facts

Facts matter.

Craig McClarren
2 min readOct 17, 2021

Remember this meme? What if this is actually a terrible and stupid message? We can discuss opinions: this is perfectly valid in a debate regarding the best flavor of ice cream. But there are facts and promoting this nonsense willy nilly is dangerous!

Imagine the two see another number on the road. It’s a painted speed limit on the road in a school zone. One person sees 16, the other 91. Both views are not correct and the person who chooses to drive 91 through that school zone is a danger to everyone for their incorrect belief and refusal to acknowledge facts. Not all views are valid. Reality is an objective thing.

Is the earth flat? Is climate change real? Do vaccines work? These are not issues on which your opinion matters. Your viewpoints on these are not equal to the facts!

Facts can be objectively determined via the scientific method. There are historical facts as well, determined through observation and documentation. This is important.

The media has done a real disservice by giving equal time to every viewpoint and pretending everyone is right and no one is wrong. Perspectives on scientific and historical facts are irrelevant.

On October 15, we’ve learned that in Texas, some teachers discussing or teaching about the holocaust will have to present opposing perspectives. Teachers will be required to present the holocaust from nazi or denialist perspectives alongside those of the survivors.

It’s disgusting. We have taken the idea of valuing every perspective too far. People can be wrong. People are wrong. Facts matter. Let’s please remember that there is an objective reality in this universe. And let’s not teach nazi perspectives in our classrooms!

Ref: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2021/10/15/texas-school-district-holocaust-opposing-books-views/8465342002/?fbclid=IwAR2F9Sg7MHVEzF9pqvAJXqtTFg-P0sO3uc2-n2hWM9AjHNp_ZO2gt5ToTKg

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Craig McClarren

Geologist, a lover of all science, father of a young child, published writer on Forbes and Mental Floss