Robert Pondiscio writes an incisive post at Core Knowledge about the ongoing debate in Texas about the social science curriculum, covered in greater detail at the Texas Freedom Network.
The review panel for the revisions to the state’s social studies curriculum is split 3-3 between academics from Texas universities and social conservatives. David Barton, head of WallBuilders; Peter Marshall, the minister in charge of Peter Marshall Ministries; and Daniel Dreisbach, a professor at American University, make up the conservative wing of the review panel.
According to the Dallas Morning News, Barton and Marshall would like to see a lot of changes in the state social science curriculum. They’d like to emphasize that the Founders wanted a ‘Christian nation’ and de-emphasize certain figures, like Cesar Chavez, Thurgood Marshall (not important enough), and Anne Hutchinson, a pioneer in New England and early women’s rights advocate. According to Marshall, “[Hutchinson] was certainly not a significant colonial leader, and didn’t accomplish anything except getting herself exiled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for making trouble.” Hutchinson helped establish the colony that became Rhode Island.
Robert rightly worries that “[f]ear that history is a stalking horse for religious instruction offers one more reason to downplay its importance, eliminate it from the school day, or reduce it to mere pabulum.” Texas seems well on its way to making that happen.