Social Studies

The circus is back in Austin. The State Board of Education is meeting to finalize social studies standards. The controversy rages (or doesn't) depending upon your point of view...

Pat Hardy (R-Weatherford) asks the Board to consider letting the TEKS panels re-convene to discuss with the Board's experts the proposed changes to the TEKS. Mavis Knight (D-Dallas) also supports it. The faction lines up against re-convening them because "they've done their work, let's thank them and let them move on." They also expect frustration that they won't have time to re-review their work in time for a Board meeting. "If we think the TEKS need work, we can amend them ourselves."

The opening salvos of the 2010 election campaign were being fired loud and clear in yesterday's State Board of Education meeting, especially when Social Studies came up late--I had to leave before they started, and will review the public testimony later and add commentary to this space this weekend. But all the usual conservative suspects were there, from Texans for Prosperity to the Free Market Foundation to the Texas Eagle Forum, so it's not too hard to imagine what they had to say...

1:40 pm Board is back after lunch break. On a 12-item agenda, they've finally wrapped up item 4 and are ready for item 5--repealing old TEKS that were replaced by newly approved TEKS.

One of my personal favorite topics is arts in education. Or, more specifically, arts AS education. My first encounter with someone utilizing the arts as a way to promote the "core subjects" was when I met a graduate student at NYU. She was writing her thesis on black holes and how their construction was inherently linked to waves which we hear as sound waves. Specifically, she was studying physics and music. Together.

[For those of you keeping score, the Board Agenda for today's meeting has 9 items on the agenda--we're still working on item 3 at 5:30 pm. It may be another late night...]

5:34 U.S. Government: Jody Casper--trying to consolidate student expectations in the way course is taught. Tie geography to congressional districts, for example. We do have seniors look at Federalist and anti-Federalist papers. Referenced more court cases, as teachers have asked. This is the only course addressing in-depth how government operates.

Bradley announces that Permanent School Finance committee members will leave, meet separately, and rejoin rest of Board later, as testimony and Board suggestions to panels continues...

Each grade level and each high school course nominated one person to speak on behalf of their committee. (One is absent with the flu...) Some would think the Board would not find controversy in Kindergarten and First Grade Social Studies, but those would be people who don't know this Board...

NOTE: These are current recommendations. They are not final, and have not been approved by the Board yet.

Archimedes--should be taught under World History without being explicitly named
Albert Einstein--ditto
Desmond Tutu--removed to focus on events, not personalities
Erastosthenes of Cyrene--should be taught under World History without being explicitly named
Eugene Debs--no explanation
Galileo Galilei--should be taught under World History without being explicitly named
George Patton--no explanation
George Wallace--no explanation

The Board requested that each of the "experts" it appointed give 10-minute presentations on their points of view on the standards. Traditionally, the question-and-answer period after each presentation is an opportunity for Board members to make small speeches that are the opening skirmishes in the conflicts that will culminate in a vote.