I along with 29 of my colleagues submitted written testimony this week to the State Board of Education which met in Austin to discuss public school curriculum standards.
The purpose of this testimony is to convey our message that curriculum standards must strongly reflect the historical roots of our state and our nation as well as herald those individuals whose beliefs intellect ingenuity and efforts made Texas and the United States of America exceptional and unique. This week I would like to share with you a copy of this letter.
We would like to share with you several concerns we have with the draft revisions to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Social Studies.
As state legislators we fully understand the direct relationship between the TEKS and what is ultimately taught to public school students in classrooms across this state.
Therefore we respectfully request that the TEKS continue to include references to the Judeo-Christian heritage from which our nation was founded; to the uniqueness and greatness of our nation; and to an accurate portrayal of history.
We fear that State Board members have been pressured throughout the TEKS revision process to wash the TEKS clean of any references to Judeo-Christian faiths while promoting references to other religions. For example a previous draft of the TEKS removed Christmas and Rosh Hashanah from a list of holidays and added Diwali a five-day Hindu festival. Thankfully Christmas and Rosh Hashanah have been added back to the most recent draft of the TEKS and they both should remain.
Our nation was founded by Judeo-Christian leaders and our founding documents reflect Judeo-Christian values. The TEKS for history and social studies therefore must neither trivialize nor censor the historical import of Judeo-Christian faiths.
Furthermore previous draft TEKS revisions changed the phrase American Expansionism to American Imperialism. We must remain mindful of the impressions that students draw from the manner in which historical events are framed. This one-word change from expansionism to imperialism was significant in both its connotation and factual bearings; we thank you for retaining the phrase American Expansionism and we urge you to resist any efforts to revert back to the phrase American Imperialism.
There has also been much debate about the individuals who are named in TEKS drafts. For example Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison two great minds whose work changed the course of history and science have been removed from TEKS draft revision along with other historical figures. We value a strong system of public education that prepares students to be productive citizens of Texas with a full and accurate understanding of the history that created present-day Texas and the United States. We urge that the TEKS continue to reflect the Judeo-Christian underpinnings of our nation and society; that Americas greatness not be undermined; and that history and historical figures continue to be taught to Texas public school students.
I along with 29 of my colleagues submitted written testimony this week to the State Board of Education which met in Austin to discuss public school curriculum standards.
The purpose of this testimony is to convey our message that curriculum standards must strongly reflect the historical roots of our state and our nation as well as herald those individuals whose beliefs intellect ingenuity and efforts made Texas and the United States of America exceptional and unique. This week I would like to share with you a copy of this letter.
We would like to share with you several concerns we have with the draft revisions to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Social Studies.
As state legislators we fully understand the direct relationship between the TEKS and what is ultimately taught to public school students in classrooms across this state.
Therefore we respectfully request that the TEKS continue to include references to the Judeo-Christian heritage from which our nation was founded; to the uniqueness and greatness of our nation; and to an accurate portrayal of history.
We fear that State Board members have been pressured throughout the TEKS revision process to wash the TEKS clean of any references to Judeo-Christian faiths while promoting references to other religions. For example a previous draft of the TEKS removed Christmas and Rosh Hashanah from a list of holidays and added Diwali a five-day Hindu festival. Thankfully Christmas and Rosh Hashanah have been added back to the most recent draft of the TEKS and they both should remain.
Our nation was founded by Judeo-Christian leaders and our founding documents reflect Judeo-Christian values. The TEKS for history and social studies therefore must neither trivialize nor censor the historical import of Judeo-Christian faiths.
Furthermore previous draft TEKS revisions changed the phrase American Expansionism to American Imperialism. We must remain mindful of the impressions that students draw from the manner in which historical events are framed. This one-word change from expansionism to imperialism was significant in both its connotation and factual bearings; we thank you for retaining the phrase American Expansionism and we urge you to resist any efforts to revert back to the phrase American Imperialism.
There has also been much debate about the individuals who are named in TEKS drafts. For example Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison two great minds whose work changed the course of history and science have been removed from TEKS draft revision along with other historical figures. We value a strong system of public education that prepares students to be productive citizens of Texas with a full and accurate understanding of the history that created present-day Texas and the United States. We urge that the TEKS continue to reflect the Judeo-Christian underpinnings of our nation and society; that Americas greatness not be undermined; and that history and historical figures continue to be taught to Texas public school students.
