Keith is back again with an opening look at some of the curriculum that are children are learning in schools these days. As his source, he uses the Illinois Mandated Units of Study Guidance.
Is the official document in Illinois that describes what is to be taught in the classroom. Here’s how it describes itself:
Description: This document is to serve as a guide for districts, schools, and teachers in interpreting the current mandated units of study in Illinois. A separate document has been created that specifically addresses the civics mandate. Included are the Illinois State Board of Education’s interpretation of the law and common misconceptions.
Keith begins at looking at requirements for the social sciences.
These mandates are connected to social science content; some are specified to occur in the social sciences while others may be taught in various content areas as fits with school/district curriculum.
some fit within the social sciences? Others in other curriculum? This allows schools to spread the teaching of social studies over any of the other various areas of study. Injecting such things as activism into things like history, English or even math.
Because the mandate states that “Each school system shall provide history and social sciences courses that do the following:” Keith reads the stated requirements, and remarks on what these ought to be covering, and some possibility is of what they probably do not cover.
Social Studies
1 analyze
*the principles of representative government,
*the Constitutions of both the United States and the State of Illinois,
*the proper use of the flag, and
*how these concepts have related and currently do relate in actual practice in the world;
Keith remarks that the above should be the core curriculum that students should learn about their country. It’s a foundational section to understanding the government and how it operates. But the requirements continue, and so does are look.
2 include in the teaching of United States history
*the role and contributions of ethnic groups in the history of this country and the State;
Weight! What! Keith takes a moment to define what this document is talking about.
Define: ethnic group
A group of people who identify with one another, especially on the basis of racial, cultural, or religious grounds.
People of the same race or nationality who share a distinctive culture.
While ethnicity is important, what should be stressed is that despite differences, the foundation of our government brings us together in unity. We should be united, not divided, regardless of what ethnic group we find ourselves in.
For any who need to hear this: diversity is not our strength. Diversity by itself is chaos. Diversity can be strengths but it requires being united. Whether the unity is in government, religion or something else, unity is strength. Not diversity.
3 include in the teaching of United States history
*the role of labor unions and their interaction with government in achieving the goals of a mixed free-enterprise system;
Keith isn’t sure why this section is important. Granted a free enterprise market system is the crowning achievement that defines the American dream. Coming to this country with nothing, and building something of value.
4 include
*the study of that period in world history known as the Holocaust;
Again. Wait! What? This is all about American history, not world history. The Holocaust is no doubt important. But maybe it should be placed into a different study of history than American history.
5 include
*the study of the events of Black history,
*including the individual contributions of African-Americans and
*their collective socio-economic struggles;
Since America is made up of many ethnic groups, why settle only on this one? Not that black history is not important, because it is. But if you going to put attention on one ethnic group, what about all the rest? There’s probably a better way to feature this then tying it to American history, government and the Constitution.
6 include
*the study of the events of women’s history in America,
*including individual contributions and women’s struggles for the right to vote and for equal treatment; and
Again, this seems to be out of place in this type of study. Not that it is not important, but it seems to be more incidental than foundational in understanding how government works.
7 include
*the study of the events related to the forceful removal and illegal deportation of Mexican-American U.S. citizens during the Great Depression.
Where did this come from? It seems to have extremely little to do with American history or foundational matters in understanding our nation. It would be nice to dig more into this little bit, simply to understand why it’s even mentioned in this curriculum. Other than that, it seems pointless. There are other chapters in our history that features mistreatment to minority groups than this one.
The curriculum goes on, this is where Keith draws the line for now. Watch for more patriotic topics in the next few weeks.
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