Katelyn'sMom--I totally understand where the radical unschoolers are coming from, I really do (I'm a cultural historian, so the notion of textbook bias is certainly on my radar!). It's just that I don't think that my choice to use some (carefully selected) books with my kids (like the Getty-Dubay italic handwriting series, say) should disqualify them as playmates for their kids! Anyway, no point chastising that expired equine any longer, I guess.
Let me get one quick lick in on that dead horse...
My problem is that you can't teach a kid to read critically if s/he never reads anything of which to be critical. Reading *only* books you agree with leads to a rather narrow (sometimes EXTREMELY narrow!) world view, and it doesn't leave any room for discussion or disagreement or changing of one's mind. That's vital for an informed and thinking person! Without it, you don't have an education; you have a brainwashing.
I just think of those times when a book says something I think is dumb or an opinion that I think is wrong as "teachable moments."
Obviously if the whole book is slanted and indefensible, I don't waste our time. But most books aren't that far off center, at least not the ones I see. And I suppose that if a person thinks all books are slanted, well, that might be a sign that the problem is NOT with the books...
