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Omaha Steve

(99,069 posts)
Sun Jun 15, 2014, 12:24 PM Jun 2014

AP: Unions push legislatures for labor history courses


By STEPHEN SINGER

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Unions and their allies are trying to flex their muscle in state legislatures, pushing for labor history to be included in social studies curriculum and hoping a new generation of high school students will one day be well-educated union members.

But the results are instead shaping up as a reminder of the tough political landscape faced by organized labor. In six states, opponents have pushed back against demands that teachers offer lessons about the first craft unions in the 19th century, the large-scale organizing drives that powered the growth of industrial unions in the 1930s, the rise of organized labor as a political machine and other highlights of America's union movement.

California and Delaware are the only states with laws that encourage schools to teach labor history.

Kevin Dayton, a policy consultant to non-union construction companies in California, said the legislation was pushed by unions to boost their ranks.

FULL story at link.

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AP: Unions push legislatures for labor history courses (Original Post) Omaha Steve Jun 2014 OP
Great! daleanime Jun 2014 #1
If the coal and gas industries can push their propaganda in the public schools... theHandpuppet Jun 2014 #2
The OP is not entirely correct. former9thward Jun 2014 #3

theHandpuppet

(19,964 posts)
2. If the coal and gas industries can push their propaganda in the public schools...
Sun Jun 15, 2014, 01:04 PM
Jun 2014

... at least kids should learn of labor history!

Check it out: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Coal_Industry_PR_in_Schools

I'd encourage anyone interested in this topic to click some of the links on the sidebar of the site (see above link), especially CoalSwarm and FrackSwarm, where this topic is discussed in more depth.

former9thward

(31,802 posts)
3. The OP is not entirely correct.
Sun Jun 15, 2014, 01:37 PM
Jun 2014

Illinois has a law, although generalized and weak, requiring " a study of the role of labor unions."

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=010500050K27-21

I know this because a book of mine on Chicago labor history is used in Chicago public schools to help fulfill the requirement.

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