Many people have told the SBOE what they can do with their proposed textbook standards for social studies.
The State Board of Education had received more than 20,000 public comments as of last week on the proposed revision of social studies curriculum standards.
That incomplete tally — the monthlong comment period ends May 19 — has swamped the 3,000 comments received during last year’s debate of science curriculum standards.
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About 8,000 of the comments — 7,500 from out-of-state senders — have apparently originated with an organized effort by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas stating the standards are “not in the best interest of students,” Martinez said.
Many of the comments state general opposition or support, which board members have said is not very helpful. Instead, they have said they would prefer specific criticisms and alternative language.
I’ll grant that “You’re a bunch of idiots” isn’t particularly constructive, but it is accurate. Be that as it may, I’m not sure what the point of detailed criticism is at this stage of the game. For one thing, the SBOE has made its contempt of experts and expertise quite clear, and for another they’ve already gotten some perfectly good specific suggestions as to what to do next, which basically boil down to starting over with people who know what they’re doing. If the blunt feedback they’re getting helps them come to that realization, then it will have accomplished its objective.
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