NC delays vote on new social studies documents. Here’s why state wants more time.
The State Board of Education on Thursday postponed a vote on new social studies documents, amid questions about the glossary that teachers will use for the classes.
The state board had been scheduled to approve Thursday several new supporting documents for teachers to use for the state’s controversial new social studies standards. But the board voted 8-2 to postpone the vote for up to two weeks.
The delay will allow the state Department of Public Instruction to finish revising the new glossary of social studies terms that will accompany the revised standards. The glossary will help teachers with the more explicit discussions about racism and discrimination they’ll have with students.
“The other documents are driven by the glossary,” said state board member Olivia Oxendine, who has criticized the new glossary and supported the delay. “The terms are sprinkled throughout.”
Should NC say ‘America is a great nation?’
The new social studies have been a source of controversy even before their adoption in February in a split 7-5 vote by the board’s Democratic majority. The standards call for including the perspectives of historically marginalized groups.
Critics accused the social studies standards of incorporating “Critical Race Theory,” a “scholarly framework that describes how race, class, gender, and sexuality organize American life,” according to the UNC-Chapel Hill history department. This view holds that systemic racism has been and continues to be a part of the nation’s history.
Critics call it Marxist, anti-American, racist and destructive. Concerns about Critical Race Theory led state Republican House lawmakers to pass a bill last month that puts new rules on how schools teach about race and history, including not promoting teaching that would make students feel guilt or discomfort due to their race or sex.
Board member Amy White had asked Wednesday about including in all the social studies documents a statement about how “America is a great nation.” Board member Jill Camnitz, who chairs the committee overseeing the new standards, said they can discuss White’s idea in July.
But on Thursday, state board member James Ford asked that they not include the “America is a great nation” statement.
“That is categorically an evaluative statement,” Ford said. “If one concludes that our nation is really good but not great or above average, it does not make room for those considerations.”
Camnitz said she’ll take Ford’s proposal under consideration.
Teachers need time to prepare
The board is now expected to vote June 18 on the glossary and the “unpacking documents” that suggest how elementary school teachers use the new standards. The board will vote in July on the unpacking documents for middle and high school social studies classes.
The high school documents have already drawn questions because State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said they disproportionately discussed Black topics. She had DPI revise the sections about minorities and marginalized groups to add more about the experiences of other groups.
There’s pressure to get documents approved soon so that teachers can prepare to begin teaching the new social studies standards this fall.
“The sooner that we can get these supporting documents to our teachers to give them sufficient time to be able to develop those really robust and rigorous lessons, the better,” said Maureen Stover, a teacher and adviser to the state board.
This story was originally published June 3, 2021 at 2:10 PM with the headline "NC delays vote on new social studies documents. Here’s why state wants more time.."
