HISD weighs in on social studies curriculum
TSTA and other educator groups, dozens of legislators and scores of authentic history experts all have urged the State Board of Education to either delay final adoption or revise the new social studies curriculum standards set for a final board vote in about three weeks.
These, of course, would be the muchdebated (and ridiculed) curriculum standards that seek to posthumously punish Thomas Jefferson for insisting upon the separation of church and state and seek to diminish the roles of Hispanics and African Americans in U.S. and Texas history. They even omit Barack Obama’s name while noting the election of the first black U.S. president
Now, according to a story in the Houston Chronicle, trustees of the Houston ISD, the state’s largest school district, have weighed in, passing a resolution urging the state board to pass “rigorous, balanced and manageable” social studies standards.
The HISD resolution avoided politically charged statements but urged the state board to make the standards less detailed in the number of teaching objectives to be covered and the number of historical figures who must be mentioned. The numbers, a significant increase over the current curriculum, are too many for meaningful instruction, HISD warned.
“We’re hoping that the State Board of Education comes to their senses and gathers input from all venues,” said HISD Trustee Manuel Rodriguez Jr., who proposed the resolution.
We all can hope, Mr. Rodriguez, but don’t hold your breath, as long as the state board’s right wing bloc continues to dictate the board’s agenda.
Here is a link to the Chronicle story:
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