(Austin) Geraldine Tincy" Miller member of State Board of Education District 12 is looking forward to the continued debate on the States social studies standards this week at a full meeting of the Board. The debate will focus on whether a proposed draft of the new standards removes or changes significant historical references.
The SBOE social studies curriculum working group has proposed a series of far-left changes in place of the traditional Texas social studies curriculum. I am all in favor of presenting a more balanced and well-rounded illustration of our history but we cannot allow it to be rewritten" Miller said. We have a lot to be proud of when it comes to the ideas of our forefathers and we must maintain those in our school curricula." The concern about the new standards was first examined at the Boards meeting in March when Brooke Dollens Terry of the Texas Public Policy Foundation brought the issue to light. In her public testimony she identified places where individualism free enterprise system and personal responsibility were changed or removed from the social studies textbooks. The working group rather than starting with the existing TEKS and updating them instead threw the entire existing curriculum aside adopting some guidelines in line with those of the National Council for Social Studies and its affiliate the Texas Council for Social Studies. Although these groups include much of traditional American values in their curriculum recommendations they generally add in left-leaning and minority historical figures and concepts into the mix. Some examples from Terrys Testimony: First grade: • In the section on holidays customs and celebrations it removes Independence Day and Veterans Day. • In the section on holidays customs and celebrations it removes anthems and mottoes of Texas and the United States. • In the list of character traits of good citizenship it removes a belief in justice and truth." • Removes the Liberty Bell from the list of patriotic symbols.
Third Grade
• Removes references to Daniel Boone Pecos Bill Paul Bunyan and Robinson Crusoe.
• Adds many new names including: Grace Hopper Margaret Knight Quanah Parker Dr. Hector P. Garcia Maya Lin Maya Angelou Sandra Cisneros Kadir Nelson Jean Pinkey Angela Shelf Medear Elisabet Ney Carmen Lomas Garza and Bill Martin.
Fourth Grade
• Removes the suggested selection of a childrens biography of Stephen F. Austin.
High School
• Removes John Lockes Two Treatises of Government and English common law.
• In the section on economics changes the phrase free enterprise system" to capitalist system."
• In the section on science technology and society removes the reference to the private sector as helping improve consumer products and only mentions government-assisted research.
• In the section on science technology and society replaces the phrase analyze how policies fostering competition and entrepreneurship have resulted in scientific discoveries and technological innovations" with the U.S. Constitution protects scientific discoveries and technological innovations."
The Board meeting will take place this week from Wednesday May 20 through Friday May 22. Discussion of social studies standards will occur at the Thursday morning portion of the meeting.
James Bernsen from Texas Republic News and Alexis DeLee contributed to this story
