Education Board To Finalize Social Studies Curriculum This Week

Proposed changes to existing requirements include how students learn about the causes of the Civil War, and wold remove former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Helen Keller from lists of names to know.

By Camile PhillipsNovember 13, 2018 11:11 am, , ,

From Texas Public Radio:

The State Board of Education is approving final revisions to social studies curriculum standards this week. The changes affect the way historical events are portrayed, and which leaders and activists are covered in social studies texts.

If the board approves the revisions in their current form, 5th graders and 8th graders will soon be taught that the expansion of slavery was the central cause of the Civil War. Right now the standards say sectionalism, state’s rights and slavery all contributed to the war.

However, high school world history students will continue to be asked to “explain how Arab rejection of the State of Israel has led to ongoing conflict.” Democrats on the board say that description is unbalanced and plan to suggest more nuanced language. But an initial proposal along those lines failed in September.

The revisions also suggest removing Hillary Clinton and Helen Keller from lists of suggested names to know. Some say names need to be removed in order to streamline the curriculum. Others see the choice of what names to remove as politically motivated.