Hillary Clinton, Helen Keller could be cut off from Texas social studies program

Diving sheet:

• A number of major historical figures, including Hillary Clinton and Helen Keller, could be taken from the Kindergarten to Grade 12 social studies curriculum in Texas public schools.The National Board of Education plans to "streamline" efforts after a preliminary vote Friday, Dallas Morning News reports.

• According to two teachers who helped make the recommendations, the The state requires students to learn so much that they memorize the material instead of learning it. So the group used a rubric to rate each character and his "essential" rank based on questions like "The person from an under-represented group?" "Will their impact stand the test of time?"

• The council discussed other parts of the program, as a reference to "heroism" defenders of the Alamo or an obligation for students to explain how "the Arab rejection of the state of Israel has led to ongoing conflict" in the Middle East, but nothing is still frozen and the council will hold a final vote in November.

Dive Insight:

According to this proposal, Texas classrooms would continue to use the same textbooks, and teachers could still include the discarded material in their classes – they simply would not have to, the Dallas Morning News notes. However, what Texas teaches and what textbooks teachers use, undoubtedly influences the rest of the country. It is the second largest state in the country, with 5.4 million schoolchildren across the state, and some say its massive size has fueled the national textbook market. according to the Houston Chronicle.

This is not the first or second time that Texas has been criticized for the historical material it teaches – or does not. In 2010, the Board of Education approved a conservative-focused social studies program, using textbooks that minimized slavery as a cause of civil war. The New York Times reported. A year later, another social studies textbook became viral referred to African slaves as "migrant workers". In 2014, several inaccuracies and exaggerations were found in potential history, geography and government textbooks – one of them claiming that Moses and Solomon inspired American democracy, The Washington Post reported.

This is not the first time a history studies program has received national attention, either. Earlier this year, the College Board said AP World History teachers struggled to get through the materials. start the examination at 14:50 and cut thousands of years of the program. The criticism came, calling the proposal Eurocentric, and the council moved the start date up to 1200. But some say adding 250 years of material is still not enough.

When dealing with a subject that chronicles hundreds or even thousands of years, it can be difficult for educators to master everything in a relatively short time. However, in the state, The history of women is already lacking in textbooks and lesson plans, including all minority groups – including the disabled, as Helen Keller – in history programs to ensure that all students feel included and represented. To understand the moments and figures in history, it is important to get the full scope, say education officials, and to achieve that, it is essential to include those influential views that have changed the world. 'history.