Bavaria and Texas have much in common: both are large, wealthy states on the southernmost border of their respective nations. Both consider themselves sovereign states, have their own dialects, and are deeply conservative. In fact, Bavaria/Bayern is often called the "Texas" of Germany. It turns out there is something else that unites the two states: both are under sway of religious fanatics:
Bayerische Abiturienten sollen sich auskennen mit Religiosität in den
Vereinigten Staaten. So sieht es der Lehrplan vor. Doch mit der Art und
Weise, wie der Cornelsen-Verlag das Thema in seinem neuen Englisch-Buch
"Context 21" für die Oberstufe behandelt, war das Bayerische
Kultusministerium nicht einverstanden. Insbesondere die kritische
Darstellung des religiösen Fundamentalismus in den USA stieß in München
auf Kritik. Der Verlag musste das fünfseitige Kapitel nun überarbeiten.
Das Land ist nun zufrieden: "Die neue Version ist völlig problemlos",
sagt Ministeriumssprecher Ludwig Unger.(High school graduates in Bavara should be familiar with the religious practices in the United States. That is in the required lesson plan. But the Bavarian culture ministry was not happy with the way that the Conelsen publishing house dealt with the topic in its new English text book Context 21. In particular, Munich took strong exception to the portrayal of religious fundalmentalism in the US. The publisher had to redo the five-page chapter on the topic. The state of Bavaria is now satisfied: "The new version is totally acceptable", said Luwif Unger, the spokesman for the state minister.)
It turns out that the original version of the text – which has been accepted by every other state in the Federal Republic – was based on author Susan Jacoby's 2006 book The Age of Unreason (please see my review here). In her book Jacoby points out that a literal interpretation of the Bible, the hallmark of Christian fundamentalism, is generally found among poorly educated Americans. It was the implication that these Christians are somehow ignorant that disturbed the German evangelical Web site IDEA, who complained to the Bavarian state ministry.
It turns out that Bavaria – like the US state of Texas – does not necessarily agree with the separation of church and state. In fact, the goal of public education in Bavaria has a specific religious flavor:
Oberste Bildungsziele sind Ehrfurcht vor Gott, Achtung vor religiöser
Überzeugung und vor der Würde des Menschen, Selbstbeherrschung,
Verantwortungsgefühl und Verantwortungsfreudigkeit, Hilfsbereitschaft,
Aufgeschlossenheit für alles Wahre, Gute und Schöne und
Verantwortungsbewusstsein für Natur und Umwelt.(The top educational goals are reverance for god, respect for
religious conviction and the dignity of humanity, self-control, a sense
of and joy for responsibility, willingness to help, open-mindedness for
the truth, the good and the beautiful and responsibility for nature and
environment.)
This pretty much overlaps with the perspective of the Texas Board of Education, except for the part about the "responsibility for nature and environment."
Recently Texas adopted a social studies and history
curriculum Friday that amends or waters down the teaching of religious
freedoms, America's relationship with the U.N. and hundreds of other
items.
One big difference between Texas and Bavaria: Bavarian schools – despite the intrusion of religious zealots – are the best in Germany with respect to educational outcomes, while Texas public schools rank among the worst-performing in the US.
