https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/17/us/texas-curriculum-hillary-clinton-helen-keller-trnd/index.
Chris Boyette updated this story on CNN September 17, 2018. Texas students no longer have to learn about Helen Keller, Hilary Clinton and Barry Goldwater. The Texas Board of Education decided to remove some content from the required curriculum so that teachers may dive deeper into other topics rather than having students learn dates. Teachers may still emphasize the importance of historical figures, but it won't be mandatory.
The Board decided to streamline the curriculum. Working groups would view historical figures and score them on a point system, while including factors such as diverse perspectives, whether they were part of a watershed moment and the impact on underrepresented groups. Helen scored a 7, Clinton 5 and Goldwater 0.
I believe that this is one decision that the Board of Education will regret regardless of the point system. I agree with Chris Turner in the article. The Texas State Rep. tweeted, "If Helen Keller was an important historical figure when I was in school, then she still is today," "@HilaryClinton is the 1st and only woman to be the presidential nominee of a major party in U.S. history..." Helen Keller inspired those with and without disabilities by overcoming the adversity of being deaf and blind. She showed that deaf and blind people deserved respect by pushing the US government to provide more assistance to those like her. Taking her away from the curriculum specifically makes those with impairments feel inferior, in my opinion.
Emma Burkey: I appreciate the effort of the Texas Board of Education to finally have students focus less on memorizing dates, but this is not the solution. Just as you said these historical figures are very significant and people that will always be important no matter the generation. If they wanted to take out historical figures they should have chosen others.
ReplyDeleteI think it was probably a good decision. Giving students a chance to more fully comprehend and analyze much more impactful historical events by not mandating those who have not affected us as much seems like a pretty good idea.
ReplyDeleteThough women need to be represented and learned about, those with disabilities are so much less represented and deserve to be (more that is). Not only is it incredibly interesting and inspiring to hear stories of those like Helen Keller, but it’s important to spread awareness through these stories.
ReplyDelete-Ryan Mecca
I think stories like Helen's and Hillary's should be taught in some way in schools. They set possibilities for future generations and what they are capable of.
ReplyDeleteHelen Keller was one of my personal favorites when it came to learning about important people in history. Taking her and Hilary Clinton from the curriculum would not be a good idea in my opinion. I felt like I could do anything when I would hear stories about Helen Keller and I would hate for kids in the future to not know about her or Hilary.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this is a bad decision and while it may be better to not be teaching so many irrelevant dates, these are still people that contributed to our country’s history and to look up to. Helen Keller was a brilliant example of overcoming whatever obstacles and Hilary Clinton is, especially now, still contributing to this country and shaping history.
ReplyDeleteI think that the knowledge of Hellen Keller is not something that will change or affect the way people behave, so I think that taking her out of a required curriculum is good. I do think that if teachers want to include her in their own class that would be fine, but I don't think that taking her out of the Required curriculum will have a horrible affect on anyone's life.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is important to know about these people however I think that having it no longer be mandatory will not be harmful to anyone's lives. I think that something that is important and relevant will stay that way with out it having to be a mandatory part of the curriculum.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you , I feel like these people could be role models to the new generation. These people are still important but I also wonder why they decided to pick these specific people ? I don't think they should be forgotten
ReplyDelete-Alma Alvarado- Cabrera
It's important that as students we learn historical significance rather than dates, but removing such prominent historical figures from our curriculum will not do that. While it is paramount that we learn about wars, what caused them, and who helped build our nation, no student going into a field other than history or politics will pull out the date of the battles of Lexington and Concord, or the number of people that were injured during the Stono Rebellion. It is of watershed importance that we represent our history accurately, not by writing people out of it, but by focusing on the things that have affected our world, the central themes, the overall messages and lessons rather than the numerical figures.
ReplyDeleteI think that the taking away of such an inspirational female who overcame the obstacles of being blind and deaf as well as fought for peace and rights for women and workers is extremely distasteful, especially after learning of Texas' disturbing excuse to do so, saying that Keller "does not best represent the concept of citizenship. Military and first responders are best represented."
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