[Genealib] Basic Values and Primary Resources

[Chris Tinney]

Basic Values and Primary Resources,
Re: nFS: New Family Search and Evidence 
Hierarchy in Combining Names [UPDATE]

I appreciate all the comments that have been
presented.  I have no problem with Oral History
being an only source, if that is the final outcome
that establishes a relationship for temple ordinances.

However, I would suggest there is a more serious
side to this whole issue, which has not been noted.
I take for a reference, the statewide Texas Education
Agency.  "The primary mission of the SSC web site
is to assist educators in their efforts to align the key
elements of curriculum, instruction, and assessment
into a coherent system that can be implemented to
enhance student achievement as measured by
classroom, district, and statewide assessments."

In relation to the discussion at hand, I note
in particular: Use of Primary Resources
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ssc/primary_resources/primary_sources.html

"According to the Texas Education Code,
Chapter 4.001 Public Education Mission
and Objectives

  Objective 5: Educations will prepare students
to be thoughtful, active citizens who have an
appreciation for the basic values of our state
and national heritage and who can understand
[and] productively function in a free enterprise society.


  Objective 9: Educators will keep abreast of the
development of creative and innovative techniques
in instruction and administrative using those
techniques as appropriate to improve student
learning. In accordance with these objectives,
the SSC hosts a number of primary resources.

  Beginning in the Grade 4 Social Studies TEKS,
students are required to locate and use primary
sources.  This portion of the SSC web site is
provided to give teachers and students access
to various primary resources from US and Texas
history.  You can also find suggestions on how
to analyze primary resources."

It is part of the fabric of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, to "sustain and uphold the
respective governments in which they reside, . . . 
and that all governments have a right to enact
such laws as in their own judgments are best
calculated to secure the public interest; . . ."
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/134

It is obvious to the State of Texas, that educators
cannot "prepare students to be thoughtful, active
citizens who have an appreciation for the basic
values . . .", without having the ability to locate
and use primary sources.  Members of the Church
  of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, cannot raise
their children to be law abiding citizens, without
training them to have the ability to locate and use
primary sources.  Family research is patriotic.

It is obvious to me as a member of the Sons
of the American Revolution, that genealogy
and family history will NEVER become the
Higher Education discipline that it ought to be,
(and LDS Temple Work become part of the
majority interest among the "Mormon" community,
as a primary interest among the whole church),
unless and until the largest genealogical database
in the world becomes immune to constant
and significant truthful criticism, and that from
the very elite in the field that uses it the most.

In other words, the compiled database must NOT 
be less reliable than a bank statement, a title search,
or an originating official archival depository source,
irrespective of the good intentions of the compilers.
It must be corrected, if it is to be the "ensign" standard,
for use as an educational tool, within the framework
of United States learning programs, as well as other
government agency education programs, worldwide.
Notwithstanding all the excuses, "come back to reality".


  Respectfully yours,

  Tom Tinney, Sr.
Who's Who in America,
Millennium Edition [54th] through 2004
Who's Who In Genealogy and Heraldry, [both editions]
Family Genealogy & History Internet Education Directory
http://www.academic-genealogy.com/

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