North Carolina Schools: U.S. History Out, Environment In

Written by Randy Dye

Wednesday, 03 February 2010 00:00

Posted By Lee Ross On February 3, 2010

Change often leads to controversy and that is certainly the case in North Carolina where an effort to revamp the state's education system has some people outraged that high school students will not learn enough American history.

The formula for teaching American history has been pretty simple. Start at the beginning and go forward. But a new proposal under review in North Carolina ^[1] threatens to disrupt that standard teaching philosophy.

"If our students don't know what happened in world history, and if they don't know what happened in U.S. history from George Washington's presidency all the way up through the Civil War, then they will not be able to grasp the big picture," said Mike Belter, a Social Studies teacher in North Carolina.

The state's on-going curriculum review hits all subjects but it's the proposed changes for high school students learning social studies that have provoked fears. Under the new guidelines, students will graduate without learning enough about world history and key parts of American history including Abraham Lincoln, westward expansion or much else that happened before 1877 when Reconstruction ended, critics say.

"We are certainly not trying to go away from American history. What we are trying to do is figure out a way to teach it where students are connected to it. Where they see the big idea. Where they are able to make connections and draw relationships between parts of our history and the present day so the students who see it as relevant," said Rebecca Garland of the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

Right now, high school students learn world history in the ninth grade, civics and economics in the tenth and the entirety of U.S. history in the eleventh grade. Under the proposed change, all ninth graders wouldn't study world history. Instead, they"ll have to take a course called Global Studies focusing on the modern issues like the environment.

Tenth graders will still get Civics and Economics, while the junior year U.S. history class would start in 1877. State officials say events prior to that year will be taught before high school and also incorporated into the sophomore year Civics class.

Education officials acknowledge this is a big change but believe it will allow them to connect with a standard of teaching based on a new national initiative called called Common Core which emphasizes standards to help prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in college and careers and to be prepared to compete globally.

"The whole notion of the common core is fewer, clearer and more in depth standards. So that our students remember what's important," Garland said.

" I'm all for a global outlook but it should not be at the expense of American history and learning about American institutions and ideas. And unfortunately this curriculum does just that," said Terry Stoops, an Education Expert and member of the John Locke Foundation.

North Carolina officials are quick to emphasize that the proposal is just that-a proposal. And they are encouraging feedback from teachers and the public about the plan.

http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/02/03/schools-u-s-history-out-environment-in/

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written by Randy Dye, February 03, 2010

it is going to get worse. NC has entered the competition to get $750 million of Fed Money from the Race to the Top initiative of the Obama Administration. If they accept that money, the requirement will be that the state must adopt federal standards for curriculm,etc. And, guess what, the standards are identical to the ones issued by … See MoreUNESCO. This another case of the Feds usurping the states powes in violation of the 10th Amendment. They always sneak these things in by bribing the states with money. That is why the states have little or no powers left. If the states don’t start initiating and passing Nullification Bills to push back against the power grabs by the Feds, the states might as well disband the state goverment for it will not be able to accomplish anything except to collect taxes. Many states are getting the message and initiating and passing nullification bills on a variety of federal programs. Unfortunately, NC is not one of them.

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written by Randy Dye, February 03, 2010

The “new” history of these united States, from…

…1877 – the time when National government defeated Federalism, “revisionists” began to preach the War Between The States was about slavery not States rights, and the ideology of the Progressive era was developed.

If this “change” is made to the NC curriculum, there will be no one knowledgable to tell the story of how the National government ordered a military occupation of the Confederate States and forced changes to their constitutions – long after the cessation of hostilities.

…oh yeah, skip over the messy ratification of the Reconstruction Amendments, one of which was probably not legally ratified. Begin the history of our country with without an explanation of how the National government expanded way beyond the scope designated by the Founders.

A proposal indeed. It wasn’t proposed before the Obama government started the dopey-change nonsense.

Watch your backs and keep your powder dry…

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written by Robert, February 04, 2010

I am so mad, I could spit nails. I can hardly think straight to put together a coherent argument. I read about this last night on the Fox News web site, and I am still angry.

I have heard people such as Glenn Beck and David Barton of Wall Builders talk about Progressives erasing and/or re-writing our history in order to direct the policies/culture of the present and thus control our futures. Apparently, this has been going on for a century, but this…this is happening right before our eyes, right under our noses. Our history, our heritage, our values, our principles, our foundation are all scheduled for eradication.

I know that there are major battles raging today with Health Care Take Over, Cap and Tax, the Federal Budget, etc, but this cannot be allowed to happen. If this becomes the standard, then all is for nought. A generation from now no one will know how or why the United States even exists much less that the Federal Government has overstepped the bounds of the US Constitution and usurped control from the States. We might not even have our current Constitution. Dear God, help us.

Does anyone know of an organized plan to stop this whole National Core Standards manure?

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written by Jessica Wood, February 04, 2010

Sen. Berger wrote a letter to Perdue about this, for whatever that is worth. We have to get this message out. I'm with you, Robert- very angry!

Here's a link to Sen. Berger's letter: http://bit.ly/aIIc7R

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written by Travis Wallace, February 04, 2010

This idea needs to be well publicized and pushed back against. As a life-long student of history (and a history major in college, for what its worth), the ignorance of our country's early history is a major problem. Fewer and fewer people seem to have a concrete grasp of the context surrounding our country's early history; even worse, many people have bought the progressive line that our founders were "rich, white racists" and have no use for anything that they wrote or argued.

This is another example of hard, factual knowledge being replaced with touchy-feely subjects and half-truth propaganda. We need to stand up as citizens and demand that our country's history be given the importance it deserves in our educational system. Our children's education is too important to leave to the so-called experts in either Washington, D.C. OR Raleigh.

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written by Robert, February 04, 2010

I have e-mailed and talked with my NC State Rep's Legislative Assistant today, and he printed out the information to take to Minority Leader Paul Stam. He also passed the information around to other legislators who happened to be in the office today. He said that this has got them stirred up; they are mad. I encourage all of you to contact your NC Representative and NC Senator to get as much political attention focused on this as possible. Even if they're liberal Democrats, call them; given all of the problems coming to light in our General Assembly, they might be motivated to do something right for a change.

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written by Randy Dye, February 04, 2010

From the article...........Please contact Rebecca Garland, the chief academic officer or North Carolina Department of Public Instruction by phone at 919-807-3305 919-807-3305 or email her at \n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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written by Jessica Wood, February 05, 2010

This article (http://www.newsobserver.com/ne...21148.html) in the N&O suggests they aren't cutting the history, but spreading it out over 5th, 7th, and 11th grade. I'm relieved to find they aren't cutting it completely, but I really think the complex issues surrounding the founding are too much for elementary school or even middle school. I'd rather see them cut the emphasis on World History in 10th grade to fit in all of American history. What do y'all think?

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written by Randy Dye, February 05, 2010

I strongly believe that by 3rd grade, all children should have the preamble memorized. I had the 10 commandments memorized in third grade Sunday school, so it's not that hard. Young minds are most impressionable, but if your teaching them historical documented facts I see nothing wrong with it. I believe public schools should start teaching small and simple increments of the Constitution and our founding fathers at a very early age to seed the understanding of liberty into their hearts and minds.