Eric Takabayashi wrote:

> Why would you not expect a teacher of Japanese history beginning in junior
high
> school to teach them about Japanese history including the bad parts? Why
is it
> your job to teach them about British history including the bad bits, while
you
> and at least one other poster think that Japanese kids need to find things
out
> on their own, instead of being taught more about their history?

No, as so often you've got me quite wrong (on one thread the crossed wires
were so bad I just gave up; I simply haven't got the time to put you
straight each time you misconstrue me!). In this case, the only reason I
think it's up to my students to find these things out for themselves is
because they are university students. If I was teaching in a school I could
perhaps stick my neck out and argue that they ought to get this kind of
information from their history teacher, but these kids are beyond that
point. Most of them will probably never have another Japanese history class
until they die. The best I can do at this stage is provide them with the
skills that will enable them to research these issues for themselves.

--
John
http://rarebooksinjapan.com