Listening to the teachers: warnings about the use of archaeological agendas in classrooms in the United States

In the United States, archaeology is generally regarded by the public as having little practical utility. For most who pay any attention to it, archaeology is simply an exotic hobby, a branch of history that provides little more than an interesting perspective and perhaps a bit of intrigue. Still, the exotic has appeal, and many elementary-school children fantasize a future as an archaeologist as one of their first career choices.