Topic: Texas Education

Historian Donald Yakovon discusses his research into 3,000 historical textbooks, noting how the achievements of non-white Americans were systematically ignored. He highlights how 1940s high school textbooks portrayed enslaved people using offensive stereotypes and how these books remained in use for decades. The influence of Texas and California on the national textbook publishing industry is identified as a key factor in the persistence of these narratives.

The hosts discuss the "college promise" that suggested education would lead to equal footing, arguing instead that it has become a tool for identifying those who subscribe to the "state religion." Adam Curry shares his experience of being treated differently in Austin after moving to the rural Texas Hill Country. They conclude that living without fear and exercising one's rights provides a peace of mind that the system cannot offer.