Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

Texas board adopts new social studies curriculum

Board member Mary Helen Berlanga shows her frustration at the numerous amendments during a meeting of the State Board of Education to discuss social studies standards on May 21, 2010 in Austin, Texas. (AP)
Board member Mary Helen Berlanga shows her frustration at the numerous amendments during a meeting of the State Board of Education to discuss social studies standards on May 21, 2010 in Austin, Texas. (AP)

The Texas State Board of Education adopted a social studies and history curriculum May 21 that amends or waters down the teaching of the civil rights movement, religious freedoms, America’s relationship with the U.N., and hundreds of other items.

The new standards were adopted after a final showdown by two 9-5 votes along party lines, after Democrats’ and moderate Republicans’ efforts to delay a final vote failed.

The ideological debate over the guidelines, which drew intense scrutiny beyond Texas, will be used to determine what important political events and figures some 4.8 million students will learn about for the next decade.…Read More

Educators seek delay of Texas curriculum vote

Concerns abound over the state's new social studies curriculum.
Concerns abound over the state's new social studies curriculum.

A group of university educators has called on the Texas State Board of Education to delay a final vote on contentious new social studies curriculum standards until experts from higher education can weigh in on the matter.

In an open letter made public April 15, the educators called on the board to delay its planned May vote until curriculum teams and a panel of qualified, credentialed content experts from the state’s colleges and universities can review changes the board made and “prepare a new draft of the standards that is fair, accurate, and balanced,” the letter says.

“The integrity of the curriculum revision process has been compromised,” the educators wrote.…Read More