North Carolina Schools: U.S. History Out, Environment In

[RandysRight]

Comments are pulled from Chatham County Residents

Posted By Lee Ross On February 3, 2010

Change often leads to controversy and that is certainly the case in North Carolina where an effort to revamp the state’s education system has some people outraged that high school students will not learn enough American history.

The formula for teaching American history has been pretty simple. Start at the beginning and go forward.  But a new proposal under review in North Carolina [1] threatens to disrupt that standard teaching philosophy.

“If our students don’t know what happened in world history, and if they don’t know what happened in U.S. history from George Washington’s presidency all the way up through the Civil War, then they will not be able to grasp the big picture,” said Mike Belter, a Social Studies teacher in North Carolina.

The state’s on-going curriculum review hits all subjects but it’s the proposed changes for high school students learning social studies that have provoked fears. Under the new guidelines, students will graduate without learning enough about world history and key parts of American history including Abraham Lincoln, westward expansion or much else that happened before 1877 when Reconstruction ended, critics say.

“We are certainly not trying to go away from American history. What we are trying to do is figure out a way to teach it where students are connected to it. Where they see the big idea. Where they are able to make connections and draw relationships between parts of our history and the present day so the students who see it as relevant,” said Rebecca Garland of the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

Right now, high school students learn world history in the ninth grade, civics and economics in the tenth and the entirety of U.S. history in the eleventh grade. Under the proposed change, all ninth graders wouldn’t study world history. Instead, they”ll have to take a course called Global Studies focusing on the modern issues like the environment.

Tenth graders will still get Civics and Economics, while the junior year U.S. history class would start in 1877.  State officials say events prior to that year will be taught before high school and also incorporated into the sophomore year Civics class.

Education officials acknowledge this is a big change but believe it will allow them to connect with a standard of teaching based on a new national initiative called called Common Core which emphasizes standards to help prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in college and careers and to be prepared to compete globally.

“The whole notion of the common core is fewer, clearer and more in depth standards. So that our students remember what’s important,” Garland said.

” I’m all for a global outlook but it should not be at the expense of American history and learning about American institutions and ideas. And unfortunately this curriculum does just that,” said Terry Stoops, an Education Expert and member of the John Locke Foundation.

North Carolina officials are quick to emphasize that the proposal is just that–a proposal. And they are encouraging feedback from teachers and the public about the plan.

http://randysright.wordpress.com/2010/02/04/north-carolina-schools-u-s-history-out-environment-in/

[RandysRight]

it is going to get worse. NC has entered the competition to get $750 million of Fed Money from the Race to the Top initiative of the Obama Administration. If they accept that money, the requirement will be that the state must adopt federal standards for curriculm,etc. And, guess what, the standards are identical to the ones issued by … See MoreUNESCO. This another case of the Feds usurping the states powes in violation of the 10th Amendment. They always sneak these things in by bribing the states with money. That is why the states have little or no powers left. If the states don’t start initiating and passing Nullification Bills to push back against the power grabs by the Feds, the states might as well disband the state goverment for it will not be able to accomplish anything except to collect taxes. Many states are getting the message and initiating and passing nullification bills on a variety of federal programs. Unfortunately, NC is not one of them.

[RandysRight]

Anyone besides me wonder what we are “racing to the top” of?

The problem with the Fed bribing the states is really the exact same problem we have with lobbyists and large “special interest” groups etc. It is not primarily the fault of the Fed, or of the lobbys, or the special interests – it is the fault of the weak willed and corrupt State politicians who are willing to sell our freedoms and barter away our liberties.

And it is the fault of an ignorant and apathetic populace willing to do he same – willing to play along with the idea of a good politician being the one who can bring back the most pork to their own district.

Until we can elect moral leaders with integrity and courage, we will continue down the path towards ever-increasing socialism. But to elect those leaders, somehow we must reawaken the morality and integrity and courage of the people.

The progressives know this as well – that is why they propose to cut out that part of our national history that, if taught well, would most inspire our young people to attain more than just being good and obedient servants of the Government.

[RandysRight]

The “new” history of these united States, from…

…1877 – the time when National government defeated Federalism, “revisionists” began to preach the War Between The States was about slavery not States rights, and the ideology of the Progressive era was developed.

If this “change” is made to the NC curriculum, there will be no one knowledgable to tell the story of how the National government ordered a military occupation of the Confederate States and forced changes to their constitutions – long after the cessation of hostilities.

…oh yeah, skip over the messy ratification of the Reconstruction Amendments, one of which was probably not legally ratified. Begin the history of our country with without an explanation of how the National government expanded way beyond the scope designated by the Founders.

A proposal indeed. It wasn’t proposed before the Obama government started the dopey-change nonsense.

Watch your backs and keep your powder dry…

[RandysRight]

edit this on February 5, 2010 at 4:06 am | Reply  Emily
I took Constutition Law in 1979 and it was really hard core and truthful. I dare not imagine what is being tought today. At least I did get a good education before the Pregressives took over the text books and we got to read real back dated court cases, the ones that made up our laws today.

I sadly have MS now and it is very hard to type very much, alot of typos. But my mind is still keen. I totally believe in the founding Fathers ideas of WE THE PEOPLE and how much we need that today. My grandfather was in the Cabnet for FDR and I heard from his own stories about the political mess he created. The days of a Democrat Party is long gone to the new progressive party reaching far from France and the Huffantian Post Post to change our way of thinking.

But always I keep a copy of the Constutition by my side to never let me forget what I studied for for many years and grew to love as I do my country, The Repulbic Of America. God Help us now. Will we become two Countries? WE have before…

[artymarty]

the "history" they teach in our schools is pretty flawed anyway.

[RandysRight]

Zwolle
Hans – you hit the nail right on the head. If school doesn’t teach the full history of this country, especially leaving out the part where the Federalist finally destroyed the anti-federalists (Civil War), future generations will never know where we’ve been. There will be no basis for our society to move forward, nor will anyone have any reference to how much freedom we have lost. The progressives have had that as an objective all along.

I teach my kids every bit of US history I can, every chance I get. I just hope they are not alone in their understanding of how great this country was.

“If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude
greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us
in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down
and lick the hand that feeds you; May your chains set lightly upon
you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.” Samual Adams

[RandysRight]

Anything taught prior to High School, I consider to be inadequate. How many middle school students are paying enough attention to gain a knowledge of the concepts, the principles, and the circumstances surrounding the founding of our nation? Will adults whose last formal exposure to the Founding Fathers was in seventh grade be able to recognize un-Constitutional actions by our Federal Government? I do not have too many memories of my course work in middle school, but I remember quite a bit about my instruction in high school. In this draft proposal, all of the historical information surrounding our Founding through the Civil War is taught in middle school. In high school, when students are beginning to think objectively for themselves, US History will teach them the wonders of the Progressive Era.

I came across this post Terry Stoops at The John Locke Foundation:
http://www.johnlocke.org/lockerroom/lockerroom.html?id=23411

[artymarty]

I'm sorry, I guess you were having a private conversation with yourself that I interrupted.

[RandysRight]

I'm sorry, I guess you were having a private conversation with yourself that I interrupted.

Randy's Right knows he's not a schizophrenic, the voices told him so

[bluetick67]

I'm sorry, I guess you were having a private conversation with yourself that I interrupted.

Randy's Right knows he's not a schizophrenic, the voices told him so

LOL!

[munn5]

I have looked at the draft standards, and as a former social studies teachers I have some concerns. Under the proposed standards, students may study a little more American History in middle school, but high school US History (usually 11th grade) will only cover Reconstruction through the present. There is still a high school civics course similar to what there is today, but studying the constitution and our political system in isolation (without the historical context) is not, in my opinion, sufficient. Also, the high school survey of world history in high school is replaced by a non-history course focuses on world issues since WWII.

These changes will give our students less knowledge of history and of the historical context for events. I also have concerns about how this will work for students who want to take AP courses. Today, a student AP US History (which covers discovery-present) for the US History requirement. Since the periods don't align, under the new standards, the student might have to take these as separate courses. Likewise, in some places a student can take AP World History for the current World History requirement, but under the new standards, that will have to be taken as an elective (which limits the number of students who can take it).

Current standard
Grade 6 Geography - South American and Europe
Grade 7 Geography - Africa, Asia, and Australia
Grade 8  NC History, which is also taught in 4) - Revolution to present
9th grade World History - Ancients through contemporary times
10th grade Civics and Economics (formerly Economic, Legal, and Political Sytems ELPS)
(some school systems switch when World History and Civics are taught)
11th grade US History - 1789-present

Proposed standards (Draft 1.0 - there will be at least one more draft)
Grade 6 is World History through the 1700s,
Grade 7 is NC, US, and World 1600-1970, and
Grade 8 is the Global Community 1950-present
High School Civics and Economics
High School Global Studies - this is not a sequential history course, and focuses on the period since WWII
High School US History

Existing standards -http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/socialstudies/scos/
Proposed standards - http://www.ncpublicschools.org/acre/standards/phase2/

[WolfpackFan]

In my opinion, a 11th grader would be able to get a better grasp on the context of the constitution and creation of government (things like check and balances) than a 7th grader would.

[djkelly]

Historical context is so important.  I know my own history education in public school was a joke.  From what Mia posted it looks like what they're teaching now is better than what I had.  I hope they strengthen it instead of watering it down.

The points about AP classes is especially important.  I'd like to see school officials enabling students with the interest to excel and push further than the standard curriculum requires.  That was another area that was lacking when I was in school.

[RandysRight]

David D from NC Freedom on education talk radio segment

http://randysright.wordpress.com/2010/02/10/time-sensitive-david-from-nc-freedom-live-radio-interview/

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