AUSTIN — The Texas State Board of Education is hearing from parents, teachers and scholars on their thoughts toward potential revisions to Texas students' social studies curriculums.
The board is holding public hearings on proposed streamlined social studies curriculum standards (known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS) for kindergarten through 12th-grade classes. The standards were last revised and adopted by the board in 2010, but now members plan to respond to repeated complaints that the current standards are too long. So they've come up with a plan to streamline them.
"That means they've been working to reduce the number of standards that teachers are required to teach, and they've had work groups of educators looking at them to make recommendations over the past year," explained Debbie Ratcliffe, executive director, State Board of Education Support Division at Texas Education Agency.
Around 100 educators, stakeholders and others involved with historical work groups have spent months reviewing the standards and making recommendations for deleting and clarifying certain historical elements.
As Ratcliffe explained, this is why Tuesday's hearing is public -- so that the community can help them with what else could potentially be revised.
An estimated 60 people signed up to testify on Tuesday, although some offered their allotted time to speak to others.
"We've had about a hundred educators and other interested people, such as people involved with historical groups, make these recommendations, so they've been really well-vetted at this point. But now is the time for the public to speak up," Ratcliffe said.
While the meeting took place inside the boardroom, activists, professors, teachers and community members met outside for the "Teach the Truth" rally hosted by the Texas Freedom Network. Organizers are calling on the board to make revisions to standards they believe exaggerate religious influences, downplay the role of slavery in the Civil War, underemphasize certain moments in the Civil Rights movements and more.
"This affects everybody. This affects parents. This affects students. This affects how we make policy down the road because if we're not teaching students accurate information, they can't go and use that down the line," said Carisa Lopez, political director of the Texas Freedom Network. "Parents want the best for their children, which means teaching them accurate history, giving them the best education possible ... We want the state board of education to just listen to them and give our students the best chance."
Another controversial topic surrounds the history of the Alamo and how a committee of educators and historians are recommending Alamo fighters not be called "heroic."
Ahead of Tuesday's meeting, Governor Greg Abbott took to Twitter on the debate stating:
"Stop political correctness in our schools. Of course, Texas schoolchildren should be taught that Alamo defenders were 'Heroic'! I fully expect the State Board of Education to agree."
Many of who testified also spoke out in frustration on the same topic.
"The notion is absurd. The words in that letter are as much a part of who we are as the blood of liberty has runs through our veins and that has been shed by Texans in all wars," said Congressman Ted Poe (R-TX, District 2). "The Travis letter is every bit a core and sole of freedom."
"We totally oppose this and we urge you to vote against it," said Maria Torres, who spoke on behalf of the Pacuache Indian Tribe. "Yes. They're heroes! Don't you dare to delete the word 'heroes.'"
Stephen Cure addressed the boardroom as an educator but also has someone who has served on the review committee.
"I'm not surprised in the interest at all. The proposal today hopefully will allow the state board members to put in place language that reflects the importance of the Travis letter and reports, reflects the heroism of the defenders of the Alamo," explained Cure. "It was never the committee's intent to diminish either of those, but hopefully what we put forth today will be useful language for them."
On Wednesday, the state board will begin taking preliminary votes on the proposed changes. A final vote will be made in November.
The board meeting will begin at 9 a.m. in room 1-104 of the Travis Building downtown at 1701 North Congress Avenue. First, there will be a public hearing regarding new reading and language arts instructional material. The public hearing regarding the current social studies curriculum standards will begin afterward.