Textbooks and Curriculum changes

Although the curriculum changes related to history and social studies in the NC Standards have taken a back  burner due to widespread objections,  mainly over the periodization of US History courses that have taken on  a very “presentists” perspective, don’t think that the battle has been won.  Neither should we think that the battle is only related to curricula issues, per se.  The adoption last week by the Texas State Board of Education of a social studies and history curriculum that requires the teaching of Judeo-Christian influences on the founding fathers [no mention of the may "diest" among them], emphasizes  “a  constitutional republic” rather than the “democratic”aspects of our origins, and down playes ideas such a religious freedoms, and ends teaching the ideal of the “separation of church and state”  because those words do not appear in the constitution!

We might say, “well, NC isn’t Texas.”  But the changes, nearly 200 of them, made in Texas, will be the basis for textbook publishers to rewrite the next generation of books that will be sold to most other states, including North Carolina.  Of course, this is not a new issue.  Many are revisited each time the curriculum is revamped.   

But during this current process, I have another objection beyond the content – the cost!  At a time when budgets are strained to the point of firing teachers, closing some schools, increasing the student/teacher ratio,etc., why are we even considering the cost of retooling the curriculum?   Poorly funded schools will not attract or hold quality teachers [for long].  I encourage our members and others who are interested in the curriculum and textbook issues to also get behind supporting our schools — at all levels.  The House Education Appropriations Sub-Committee Chairs are:

Rep. Rick Glazier Rich.Glazier@ncleg.net

Rep. Marian McLawhorn   Marion.McLawhorn@ncleg.net

Rep. Ray Rapp  Ray.Rapp@ncleg.net

Senate Education Appropriations Sub-Committee Chairs are:

Sen Tony Foriest  Tony.Foriest@ncleg.net

Sen. Charles Albertson  Charliea@ncleg.net

Sen Charlie Dannelly  Charlied@ncleg.net

Sen A.B. Swindell  Abs@ncleg.net

Send one message to all with your thought on these issues and to your own representatives!  Let us be a force that is both democratic in voicing the will of the people to those who represent us in our state —that is guaranteed a republican form of govt. by the actual words of the US Constitution.

Dr. Dorothea Martin, President [2010] NCAH