Education in the United States of America is not as standard as you might think. When I was in eighth grade, my U.S. history teacher, Park Gilmore, informed the class one day that the U.S. Constitution does not mention anything about education. No fear though, there is the U.S. Department of Education, which is a part of the Presidentís administration. According to the website of the Department of Education, its main goal ìis to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.”
The website also notes that its primary goal includes establishing policies for funding educational institutions, collecting data and research on schools, identifying issues in education and enforcing laws that prohibit discrimination in schools that recieve federal funding.
However, thereís a problem. While laws such as No Child Left Behind are designed to raise the levels of education and achievement in elementary, middle and high schools, states are in charge of establishing the curriculum for public schools. And recent actions taken by the state of Texas indicate that it has no problem asserting its role in education.
On Mar. 12, the New York Times writer James C. McKinley Jr. wrote ìTexas Conservatives Win Curriculum Change,” reporting that the Texas Board of Education approved a new social studies curriculum that puts ìa conservative stamp on history and economics.” With a 15 members, 10 of whom are Republicans, the board, according to McKinley, rewrote the social studies curriculum to stress the superiority of American capitalism, and represent Republican ideals in a more positive light.
McKinley also points out that Texas is the largest buyer of textbooks in the nation. It is the second largest state with a population of 22 million people. So itís not hard to see why so many publishers make a ìTexas Textbook Edition.”
While there is a laundry list of changes made to the social studies curriculum, hereís a few of the more notable ones. As reported by McKinley, Thomas Jefferson has been cut from the curriculum and replaced with religious figures such as Saint Thomas of Aquinas, John Calvin and William Blackstone. Capitalism is now referred as ìfree-enterprise system.” And the board passed an amendment ìrequiring that the history of McCarthyism include ëhow the later release of the Verona papers confirmed suspicions of communist infiltration in U.S. government.ííí Oops, the Verona Papers details 3,000 communications between USSR and its agents while in the U.S. during the McCarthy era. Had enough of this conservative agenda? Too bad, according to McKinley, there are also measures to make sure students are aware of the conservative revolt and resurgence in the 80s and 90s.
Ironically, a conservative state that wants a limited government so it canít interfere with the lives of its citizens is passing legislation that actively promotes a right-wing agenda. The actions of the Texas Board of Education are essentially changing the meaning and course of history for the United States. Itís frightening that a state could potentially have this much power to change the standards of education for every school in the United States. Could a ìTexas Textbook Edition” end up on your school? It depends if publishers will agree to rewrite their textbooks and materials to suit one stateís conservative education requirements.