Education Advocates Want ‘Bad History’ Removed From State Standards On Civil War

Texas students learn about the Civil War in eighth grade, which is also the year they take a state assessment test in history.

By Claire McInernyMarch 13, 2018 9:30 am, , , ,

From KUT:

When the State Board of Education passed new social studies standards in 2010, there was an outcry from critics who said they prioritized conservative views over historical facts. As the board edits the standards this year, some see an opportunity to correct these inaccuracies

The Texas Freedom Network advocates for improvements to public school curriculum and standards. Spokesman Dan Quinn says even minor changes to the standards could dramatically change how students learn about slavery.

“For generations, southern kids have been taught, especially in Texas, that the Civil War was fought over some noble cause like states’ rights,” he said. “Well, no, the reason the Civil War was fought was because Southern states wanted to defend the institution of slavery.”

The current standards say a student should be able to “explain the causes of the Civil War, including sectionalism, states’ rights, and slavery.”

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