State Educators Look to Make Social Studies Curriculum Changes

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Tennessee Board of Education hopes to make changes to the state’s social studies curriculum.

That’s not unusual.

But what has some lawmakers and residents concerned this time is what historical events state education leaders want to cut.

Major milestones in the civil rights movements for minorities and women in Tennessee and the U.S. could go away if these changes go into effect.

“There are several changes that have occurred in different parts of history,” said Dr. Justin Robertson, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction at Hamilton County Schools. “There are some changes to Tennessee history, there are some changes in places that they widen the time that’s spent or narrow the focus.”

“In our state, a lot of people have made progress when it comes to civil rights, voting rights, access to opportunities, and when we decide not to study our history and share it with our young people, we risk repeating that history,” said James McKissic, Director of the city of Chattanooga’s Office of Multicultural Affairs.

In some of the proposed changes, the state Board of Education would drop the study of The Highlander Folk School, Alex Haley’s novel “Roots: The Saga of an American Family,” and voting rights efforts by Nashville suffragette Anne Dudley.

“I remember as a young person learning about civil rights and social studies, learning about the Highlander School, the importance of Alex Haley and ‘Roots,’ and those are some things that stuck with me as an adult, and made me love my Tennessee culture even more, so I am a little bit concerned, but I think as a community, we can come together and voice our concerns, and that things will work out,” McKissic said.

The state board is giving Tennesseans a chance to weigh in on the changes through December 15.

“I would encourage any citizen to go online to put their comments in, their concerns in, so the state board has all the information that they need in order to make a decision,” Robertson said.

The board will vote on any potential changes next year.

If approved, the changes won’t go into effect until the 2019-2020 school year.

“Curriculum changes as we change and learn more, and begin to understand better the history of our state, so I don’t think it necessarily needs to stay the same, but I think that it needs to reflect the people of Tennessee, the demographics we have now, and tell the true story of our history as Tennesseans,” McKissic said. 

You can give input on the proposed changes here: https://apps.tn.gov/tcas/.