CURRAN CALLS ON CATHOLIC SCHOOLS TO EXAMINE TEXTBOOKS FOR HISTORICAL MISREPRESENTATION OF "CHE CHIC" REVOLUTION IN CUBA

Editor’s Note: Attached are several page snapshots from the Voyages in World History textbook used at a local Long Island Catholic School.

Assemblyman says while his life is celebrated everywhere, many fail to acknowledge the fact that Ernesto “Ché” Guevara brutally murdered and executed thousands as a revolutionary and as Fidel Castro’s right hand man.

Assemblyman Brian Curran (Lynbrook – 21st A.D.) today is calling on all New York State Catholic Schools to re-examine their history textbooks, specifically in advanced placement World History classes, titled Voyages in World History. Curran says that in Chapter 30 of the local Catholic school’s textbook, Ernesto “Ché” Guevara, a ruthless Cuban revolutionary, is represented under the bias of an idealistic revolutionary with, according to the text of the book, “a youthful image that evokes romantic qualities of idealism and self-sacrifice,”(Hansen and Curtis, 906).

“Guevara, is often seen on t-shirts and hats worn largely on college campuses, but can also been seen on children younger than age 10. It is a trend referred to as ‘Ché Chic.’ The problem that many fail to acknowledge is the fact that he brutally executed hundreds of people, violating human rights, as Fidel Castro’s right hand man. Nowhere in this AP textbook is that fact mentioned,” said Curran. “Catholic schools use public school textbooks, but have discretion to what textbooks can be used for teaching. I am not a history expert, but, anyone who Google’s his name and this revolution knows that he claimed to be the champion of the poor in Cuba, yet these are the very people he misled and ultimately killed, not counting the hundreds or thousands he killed for the sake of his numerous revolutions throughout Central America. This blatant bias is detrimental to the minds of impressionable young people and more closely resembles indoctrination rather than education. Ché Guevara was a murderer, not the idealistic, romantic, charismatic figure he was represented to be in this textbook. He was certainly not the voice of the poor and the downtrodden in Cuba.”

Curran noted a publication written by Maria C. Werlau, Executive Director of Cuba Archive’s Truth and Memory Project, in 2011 called CHÉ GUEVARA FORGOTTEN VICTIMS. In the publication, Werlau “adds new testimonial and photographic material to the extensive bibliography on Ché Guevara that has been woefully lacking on his victims.” The content is consistent with the organization’s mission, which seeks to foster a culture of respect for life and the rule of law by furthering an understanding of the cost of political violence stemming from the Cuban Revolution. Werlau also highlighted a story that coins Ché Geuvara’s famous quote when Ché shoots a peasant in the rebel army, Rebel Army Commander Jaime Costa hears Ché say, “When in doubt, execute.”

“In addition to the despicable, inhumane, and anti-Catholic acts preferred by Ché Guevara, it is ironic that Catholic high schools in New York are using textbooks that glorify and romanticize an individual who repeatedly asserts, ‘there is no room for God in the revolution,’” Curran said.

At the end of February, Curran held a press conference with Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) and education activists highlighting legislation (A.9057) that would prohibit the use of textbooks and materials that redefine the roles of Jews, Christians, African-Americans and all groups in American History. Curran said certain textbooks offer an inaccurate representation of American history with respect to Judeo-Christian history, African-Americans, Antisemitism, and a pro-bias toward Islam, and would create the New York State Textbook Commission to regulate instructional material used in New York State elementary school classrooms.

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