Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

U.S. Lawmakers Directing Schools To Expand History Curriculums

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • U.S. Lawmakers Directing Schools To Expand History Curriculums

    U.S. LAWMAKERS DIRECTING SCHOOLS TO EXPAND HISTORY CURRICULUMS
    By Michael Gormley

    The Associated Press
    09/28/05 13:05 EDT

    ALBANY, New York (AP) - State legislators across the United States
    are increasingly directing their schools to teach students more about
    the struggles and triumphs of different races and ethnic groups -
    a move critics say amounts to politically correct meddling.

    In the latest such example, a new commission in New York will examine
    whether the "physical and psychological terrorism" against Africans in
    the slave trade is being adequately taught in schools. The commission
    is named for the slave ship Amistad, which was commandeered by slaves
    who eventually won their freedom in the U.S.

    Supreme Court.

    The recommendations could mean rewriting textbooks, which may influence
    educators in other states, according to the National Council for the
    Social Studies.

    A number of other U.S. states have enacted similar measures in the last
    five years, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

    Illinois also created an Amistad commission this year and added lessons
    on the Holocaust, while New Mexico's legislature required Indian
    education lessons be bolstered in kindergarten through sixth grade.

    In 2001, New Jersey created an Amistad commission and the Commission
    on Italian and Americans of Italian Heritage Culture and Education
    to advise policy makers.

    California created Cesar Chavez Day - in memory of the Mexican American
    labor leader - in 2000 and directed schools to include lessons about
    the farm labor activist. That same year, Rhode Island directed schools
    to teach about genocide and human rights violations including the
    slave trade, the Irish potato famine, the Armenian genocide of the
    early 1900s, the Holocaust and Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's
    fascist regime.

    Virginia also directed schools that year to teach about the
    accomplishments of people from different ethnic backgrounds and races,
    women and disabled people.

    But while most legislatures enact curriculum changes recommended by
    education departments, teachers and researchers, New York's Amistad
    Commission is a case of the Legislature trying to circumvent the
    state's policy-setting Board of Regents.

    "Slavery is the backbone on which this country was built," said
    Assemblyman Keith Wright, a New York City Democrat who wrote the
    Amistad bill. "We haven't even touched the tip of the iceberg in
    terms of studying it ... I have two children and I don't think they
    have studied the issue thoroughly."

    Critics say the goal of the commission is laudable but that teachers
    already have limited time to teach American history. They also say
    educators are needed on the panel to make sure its recommendations
    are feasible.

    The commission will include 19 unpaid members. Eight will be appointed
    by the governor, and the rest will be picked by the state secretary
    of state, the state education commissioner and the majority leaders
    of the Legislature. Panelists need not be academics.

    On the Net:

    New York Assembly: http://assembly.state.ny.us/

    National Council for the Social Studies: http://www.ncss.org/
Working...
X