The author of that pathetic article is evidently a product of a poor public school education. The State Board of Education recommended that Jefferson's inaugural speech and Lincoln's inaugural speeches be read---side by side for a fair and balanced consideration. It is an attempt to bring some balance into the education, like some suggest on this very message board. "Whitewashing" is a racist term. This hate language would never be tolerated (and should not) by a newspaper editor if it was used by white people to denigrate other races. That would result in so much condemnation of the author that the content of the article would be summarily dismissed, like being ejected from a ball game. And "whitewashing" was also alleged by one of the dissenting Hispanic members of the State Board of Education who does not like the recommendations. Coincidence?

I am not begging any bigots to be fair with history and I regard the wasted ink of this Houston Chronicle editorial like the dog poop I wipe off my shoes.