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2:10 pm
World Geography amendments from Pat Hardy:
11b) "identify the factors affecting the location of different types of economic activiites, including subsistence and commercial agriculture, manufacturing and service industries," passes without objection
16a) return to original wording, no objections
16b) no objection to going to revising definition of culture
21b) "analyze and evaluate the validity and utility of multiple sources of geographic information, such as primary and secondary sources, aerial photographs, and maps..." no objection
strike 21c); no objection

McLeroy wants to amend introduction: strike "contemporary issues" to replace with "issues of the historical time." (Not clear whether "contemporary" meaning in the same time or modern, he says.) Pat Hardy disagrees, and motion fails.

Barbara Cargill says 14c) doesn't make sense, doesn't want textbooks to imply that ONLY international bodies have legitimacy, so add wording on "sovereign nations such as USA, China, Russia and Japan..." amendment carries 10-5 on party-line vote.

U.S. Government amendments from Bob Craig:
add 7g to read "...examine the reasons the founding fathers protected religion in America and guaranteed the free exercise thereof, and compare and contrast this to the phrase "separation of church and state." Mavis Knight, having some problems with laryngitis, offers an amendment to replace it "by prohibiting government from promoting of favoring one religion over all others..." instead of the compare and contrast language. (Mavis' effort fails on party-line vote. She had intended there to be neutral language, but worries that amendment as worded, implies that there is no basis for the phrase "separation of church and state.") But it passes, 11-3 anyway.

Next, a series of related amendments delete "constitutional republic" and insert "democratic society," throughout the standards as originally proposed by work-group members. Terri Leo quotes Benjamin Franklin that "You have a republic, if you can keep it," as evidence that it's a long-standing misrepresentation of the United States' system. Fails to pass.

Cynthia Dunbar inserts clarification of "constitutional republic" in the overarching K-12 standards statement to make it clear that its a representative form of government tied to laws, not just majority rule (as a democracy).

Mary Helen Berlanga: 16a) add "LULAC, established due to the discrimination of Hispanics" and add "the GI Forum, due to the discrimination of veterans" after the National Rifle Association, to discuss how there was so much discrimination against Hispanics, but there's been no discussion in textbooks until now. "It's time that we finally address this part of our history." It fails 7-8.

Psychology--no amendments.

Mavis Knight wants to change Sociology to add new 12a) "differentiate between sex, a biological and physical characteristic, and gender, a social construct, and discuss how gender and socialization interact." She makes an impassioned plea that the information about different gender identities is around students anyway, and that acknowledging it can only help. But her motion fails on a party-line vote.

Next, she tries to amend 7c to read "Identify and discuss the skills adolescents need to make responsible life choices." instead of "including the importance of personal responsibility for life choices." It appears to fail on a voice vote, but a recorded vote is immediately called for, and it passes.

11e) Barbara Cargill asks for "Explain instances of institutional racism in American society." She says it gives opportunities for specific examples, instead of painting all of American society in a bad light. Passes on a party line (and black/brown to white line) vote...

Now, they go back to re-re-amend grades K-8...

Bob Craig: First Grade, 13a insert "equality" after "justice" in citizenship discussion. Passes.

Pat Hardy: Fourth Grade, 1c) change wording to "...describe regions in which American Indians lived and identify groups remaining in Texas today such as Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Alabama-Coushatta, and Kickapoo," Passes without objection.

Bradley: Moves to short-circuit and adopt entire subchapter of high school (social studies), except U.S. History since 1877, right now. Nobody objects. If they cover any amendments from U.S. History, they can vote on social studies.

21a) Student understands the impact of constitutional issues on American society. Terri Leo wants to strike White vs. Registrar, because it didn't have such a big impact on U.S. as much as the others on the list. Bob Craig says the case is crucial because it changed a lot about voting, which is so important. Much heated discussion, and it fails 6 to 8. (White vs. Registrar stays).

Mavis Knight: add a new 8c) to "critique the scholarly debate over the veracity of the Venona papers," so students will understand both sides of the argument (McCarthyism). Fails 5 to 9.

Mary Helen Berlanga wants to include Hector P. Garcia in 9c) with the civil rights leaders. Ken Mercer points out that he's in 24b), along with Sandra Day O'Connor, Hillary Clinton, as an example of a citizenship. She wants him with civil rights, though. She gets her way, for once...

Mavis Knight asks to add new 9e) to "discuss the impact of the speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. on the civil rights movement, such as 'I have a dream...' and his 'Letter from the Birmingham Jail'."

Mavis Knight says discussion of conservative people organizations from 1980s to 1990s. (Phyllis Schlafly, Heritage Foundation, Moral Majority, NRA, etc.) do not involve U.S. influence in the world, which is what the over-arching topic statement is about. Motion fails 5 to 8.