Lots of chatter a/b how we teach US history esp in K12, & there’s a point that would be helpful to keep in mind as we keep having these conversations: history textbooks aren’t really history books. 1/

There’s a big difference between a book that reports a list of purported facts about the past and a book that’s doing history. Those of us #TeachingHistory, & esp those of us working to improve history ed in K12 should probably spend more time talking about this. 2/

For better or worse (mostly worse), history textbooks drive content in most K12 US history classrooms. These books have their own specific historiographies & are crafted to serve specific markets. 3/

Despite a lot of work (esp teacher guides), they don’t exist to promote historical thinking, but to teach a grand narrative of US history that teaches how to participate as citizens. (See @CJSlaby’s threads & Christine DeLucia’s review on LePore for problems w/ that) 4/

In addition to talking a/b bad textbook content, we need to talk a/b what these books are designed to do & how that hampers historical thinking. Bills like Cotton’s are the natural result of seeing schools as sites of cultural indoctrination, just not the kind he claims. 5/

Instead we should be listening to voices like @wirelesshogan who talk about rejecting grand narratives which are founded in exclusions & norms and instead explore the ways that leaning into narrative complexity can forge community far better & more justly. 6/

And that starts w/ remembering that textbooks, like monuments, exist to preserve & promote one way to remember our past. We need to root that thinking out of all curriculum, not just textbooks. 7/7

I should add: K12 history curriculum does this b/c we don’t trust kids to think. That’s very bad.