South Dakota’s Social Studies Content Standards Commission has posted its proposed revision of the state’s K-12 social studies standards. The 127-page document purports to be “free from political agendas and activism.” The document bears the names of the 15 mostly Republican commission members whom Governor Kristi Noem picked to replace the work of the much larger panel of practicing educators who drafted the proposed standards that Noem ashcanned last year to get credit from national pundits for fighting radical leftist scheming. It also bears the name of “facilitator” William Morrisey, professor emeritus at Michigan’s Hillsdale College, which appears to be using this social studies standards process to expand to South Dakota its effort to erode public education and infiltrate classrooms around the nation with right-wing Trumpist propaganda.
I will be reading this document today to see just how it differs from past K-12 standards and the work of last year’s dismissed panel of educators. You, good citizens, may also do the same. The state is taking public comment on the standards, and you’ll want your comments to be richly informed by a close reading of Hillsdale’s work.
Update 09:50 CDT: The Governor’s Office announces that the proposed standards have the endorsement of Representative Sue Peterson (R-13/Sioux Falls), who quit last year’s standards review commission when she perceived the process to be out of alignment with her politics:
“I couldn’t be more thrilled with the new social studies standards. They are substantial and straightforward standards that emphasize our founding documents, our pursuit of freedom, and treat our nation’s history honestly,” said Representative Sue Peterson, Vice Chair of the House Education Committee [Office of the Governor, press release, 2022.08.15].
The Governor’s Office also touts the proposed standards as an explicit embrace of Kristi Noem’s signing of the hyperpolitical 1776 Pledge:
“Since becoming the first office holder in the country to sign the ‘1776 Pledge,’ Governor Noem has followed through with action to promote a true and balanced telling of American history,” said Adam Waldeck, President of 1776 Action. “These standards will set the bar for social studies education in this country. I look forward to continuing to work with Governor Noem to restore honest, patriotic education” [Governor’s Office, 2022.08.15].
These partisan endorsements perhaps belie the document’s claim to keep classrooms free of political agendas.
We’re going to have to fight these. Haven’t gotten a chance to look at them yet, but I can promise, it won’t be good.
Fight them? What could be wrong with having kindergartners tell the life story of Clarence Thomas; having first graders tell the story of the Persian, Peloponnisian, and Punic Wars; and having second graders explain how society changed with the fall of the Roman Empire and how monasteries preserved Western culture during the Middle Ages?
Based on a quick read of the document:
A great preparation for Jeopardy!
When will K-5 teachers have time to teach any math or science?
Eastern civilization contributions are basically ignored.
Why isn’t Sandra Day O’Connor included in the shopping list of important contributors in the K list ?
The lip service paid to the Oceti standards is insulting.
I just read an interesting book, “Bright Ages,” about the Middle Ages, which suggests that much of what we think about the so-called “Dark Ages” is a bit overdone, if outright false. It’s really a mistake to think of “western culture” to begin with. There was quite a bit of intellectual borrowing from and cross-pollination with Jewish and Muslim scholars, who preserved, translated and improved upon classical understanding. Of course, there were scholars associated with monasteries as well, but “preserving” is not the chief thing they were doing. This book makes clear that intellectual pursuits did not end with the “fall” of the Roman Empire, which the authors insist merely mutated in something different.
Thomas in the “standards” but not O’Connor? Perhaps because Thomas’s wife has supported and worked for Hillsdale?
Cory, the subjects you mentioned may be worthy of serious study,
but first and second graders? They are just learning to read! I have to
say that I don’t remember studying the wars that you mentioned, and
and I’m not sure that I’m any worse off for it. Stuff like that is great
for discussion and social debate, but for most people it will not impact
their lives to any great degree. Call me a barbarian if you wish.
In retrospect, I learned most of what I needed to know by the time
I finished eighth grade. In high school I learned to type.
Edwin, those subjects I mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg. These “standards” are chock full of actual content lists, which “standards” don’t usually include.
But as I said, I still need to review the document in full, compare it to the current standards and last year’s rejected draft, and write up a full assessment. I’m eager to include in that assessment what I hear from commenters and especially teachers about whether these standards are age-appropriate and practical, issues that raise concerns for Edwin and Knitter23.
Just from a casual look at the “standards,” these aren’t standards. These are direct attacks on local school districts ability to select curriculum. I suspect that these rather strange elementary school subjects are what his radical out-of-state special interest has in stock right now for millions of South Dakota tax dollars, and which can be shipped for a minimal additional charge. I suspect this curriculum will come at special prices, likely because no one in their right minds thinks these are age-appropriate. I mean do we really want kindergarten students to hear (I’m not sure they can be reading much at that age) about Clarence Thomas’s public hair on the Coke can story, or his serial sexual harassment? I think not, but then Ginni Thomas would be sure to want that excised from history, no matter what age we are talking about.
Thank you, Teachers. You are a breed of courageous, wiley rebels. You may smile at the bosses in order to get back to your kids. You hold up like steel while denying to take any guff from the no-minded higher-ups. We owe everything to you. Personally, I never saw a drop of sweat or hint of hurt or pain from what I now know from experience is a battle waged on you from all sides.
Fearless warriors are the backbone of our fragile world. Our most precious treasures are in good hands and we can count on the discretion of our educators to do right by the small fries. We gotta be the loud mouths to voice what teachers are too busy keeping their nose to the grindstone to screw with. Their protest style is a secret. But they’re always fighting with class. Thank the stars for that. Thank teachers and defend their freedom to teach.
What a tragedy to drag teachers and children into a cauldron of half baked, erroneous, political and racially motivated “education theory.” Nonsense with no outcome other than to create chaos in our local schools.
BREAKING—FAIR AND BALANCED (C) Fox News:
“a true and balanced telling of American history,” said Adam Waldeck, President of 1776 Action. “These standards will set the bar for social studies education in this country. I look forward to continuing to work with Governor Noem to restore honest, patriotic education”
Oh geez, here we go again. Noem will “die trying” to put idiot “patriot” Trump on Mt Rushmore. I guess we white folks deserve it :/
more us/them bullsheit from bigoted Gov Noem. yesteryear is her next big thing!
WEBSTER’S: The meaning of BIGOT is a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (such as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance.
1776 ACTION “pledge” to remove liberal educators who:
4. … coerce students into engaging in extracurricular political action on behalf of contemporary policy positions.
5. Our young people should be taught to view one another not according to race or gender, but as individuals “made” in the image of God.
6. Teaching children to hate their country and each other is immoral and deeply harmful to our society and must be stopped.
JFC. Republicans are intoxicated with power.
This is the link to the existing standards in an expanded form that is useful for comparison – https://doe.sd.gov/contentstandards/socialstudies-UP.aspx
When all of our elected officials can recite from the memory the entire Declaration of Independence, the standards might be appropriate.
Upon further reading, there is more on Eastern civilization than I saw at first glance.
The shopping list of topics, people and places is insanely unconnected to reality for what is feasible in most classrooms.
“The 127-page document purports to be ‘free from political agendas and activism.'”….EXCEPT not free of Kristi’s political agenda and activism as spelled-out by Hillsdale College’s ’76 Pledge “Curriculum.”
Can this be challenged in a court of law???
It sounds to me that there may be grounds for a justifiable lawsuit because Governor Noem is acting upon a politically-motivated pledge she made to influence our state’s K-12 education curriculum. She’s also relying on the state education curriculum to be influenced and molded by one educational institution with one political leaning: Hillsdale College that advocates Political Conservatism. This is the same university touted by the late radio talk show host, Rush Limbaugh. Nothing about the process and political activism in forming and influencing this commission and subsequent new curriculum seems kosher to me. The entire process seems very one-sided and political.
Yup, Guy, its a very political and one sided state.