Today’s USA Today has a story highlighting a debate over changes to North Carolina’s history curriculum to be taken up by the NC School Board.
The State Board of Education was to meet by conference call to hear pros and cons of changes to the high school history curriculum for students who want to take the Advanced Placement U.S. History test, which allows students to earn college credits.
The school board’s discussion comes as conservative groups around the country press state and local education officials to reject the course revamp that began being taught in classrooms this fall.
The test and the course work leave out stories of Washington, Jefferson and other founding fathers as individuals. Instead, it focuses on big-picture concepts like the effect of European Enlightenment philosophies on the founders, said Larry Krieger, an opponent of the changes who will speak to the school board.
As with everything that is politicized, curriculum in government schools turns into a big fight with the faction possessing the most political power imposing its will on the rest. In an educational system in which families are free to choose their school, curriculum choices wouldn’t need to be fought over. Different schools would offer varying curriculums and parents could choose that which they believe best.
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