Texas is in the process of reviewing and renewing their social studies curriculum and creating controversy in the process. It's news when Texas looks to buy more books because of the sheer number of books bought. Texas and California are the two largest markets for textbooks in the country. If Texas or California says a book is okay, many other states will use that book to teach their students. Like Texas "teach to the test" No Child Left Behind being adopted as the way to teach, so go Texas textbooks framing young students minds. So, if for instance, Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall were left out of textbooks, many students would never hear of them.
This series explores the views of several far right members of the social science review committee. If the recommendations of this group are adopted, even in part, many children in the United States will learn a distorted view of social studies. The view emphasizes religion, superiority of the white male Protestant perspective, and eschews living the in current time and prefers to live in the past. Their proposed curriculum changes will not prepare students to live in the diverse, world culture they will face every day of their lives.
The fifteen member State Board of Education of Texas has appointed a six member panel to review and recommend changes in social studies curricula. Information about what is going on can be found atTexas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).The fifteen member panel has appointed a 6 member panel to examine the social studies curriculum and recommend updates and changes. 6 appointed panel members are:
Jim Kracht, Associate Dean and Professor, College of Education and Human Development, Texas A&M
Lybeth Hodges, Professor of History, Texas Woman's University
Jesus Francisco de la Teja, Professor and Chair, Department of History, Texas State University
David Barton, President, Wallbuilders
Daniel L. Dreisbach, Professor, American University
Peter Marshall, President, Peter Marshall Ministries
Dreisbach, Barton, and Marshall are critical of the current social science curriculum because they feel the founding principles of America are not respected. To Barton, Dreisbach, and Marshall, the founding principles were laid down from the time the Pilgrims arrived up to the Revolutionary War.
According to Dreisbach, the most important documents for students to study are the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, Northwest Ordinance, US Constitution, Bill of Rights, Plymouth Combination aka Mayflower Compact (1620), Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639), Massachusetts Body of Liberties (1641), New England Confederation (1643), Pennsylvania Charter of Liberties and Frame of Government (1682), Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms (1775), Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776), George Washington's Circular Letter of Farewell to the Army (1783), Federalist Papers (1787-1788), George Washington's Farewell Address (1796).
Dreisbach favors a white, male Protestant view of America being taught in schools. He supports that view by his use of late 1700's governmental doctrines which he views as the primary documents the country is founded on. During the 1700's, only men could vote, women had no rights and were property in some cases. Additionally, slavery was legal - living human beings were considered property which could be bought, sold, marked, traded and disposed of at the whims of white owners. Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person during this period.
Dreisbach also supports his view that white Protestantism is the doctrine that should be followed by stating, "The fundamental laws and constitutions of a people typically reflect the values of the people who ratify them." He then presents statistics, somewhat questionable, that show 98% of the residents of the United States before 1776 (meaning only white men, no women or blacks because they didn't count) was 98% Protestant. Dreisbach tries to make a diversity claim that not all of the Protestants were of the same denomination or fidelity of church attendance. What Dreisbach is really saying is the views of Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, or any other religion were not included by the framers of this country, only Protestants were. America is a Protestant country and should remain that way, according to Dreisbach.
Dreisbach makes several specific recommendations for curriculum changes. Among them are:
- In kindergarten, "explain the role of language" in contributing to national identity. This is English-only in a thin disguise.
- Grade 2 - "Police and fire are better examples of core services of civil government rather than libraries and parks." Teach the children early that the only reason for government to exist is to provide for public safety and all other uses for government, such as libraries and parks, are bad.
- Grade 2 - Remove Florence Nightingale - "seems like an odd choice given that her connection with the United States is limited." Florence Nightingale was key in developing the field of modern nursing, nursing schools and statistical analysis of disease. She was a leading reformer in medical care and hospital design. Nightingale was also a leading feminist.
- Students should be exposed to the Bible as one of the foundation documents for the United States.
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