Parents and education groups divided over proposed changes to Texas social studies curriculum

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- On Wednesday, the State Board of Education met to discuss proposed updates to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS, social studies programs. The proposed updates to the program have parents and education groups divided as the state decides what Texas students will learn and when.

Critics of the proposed TEKS feel politics play too heavy a hand in the changes, but this isn't the first time that what is taught in classrooms has been influenced by politics or beliefs, according to University of Houston education professor Duncan Klussman.

"30 years ago, 40 years ago, it was typically the science TEKS that got controversy around evolution or not in textbooks; in the last decade, it's been around social studies or in some cases, around the language arts curriculum. What is the content students are reading in language arts or reading classes?" Klussman said.

One organization in favor of the proposed changes is the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation.

"They are covering a comprehensive view of history that is in context so that our kids learn about our history, our ideals that built the west and why America is the greatest embodiment of freedom that we have ever seen in existence in the world," foundation member Mandy Drogin said.

Drogin said through the review process, she's been discouraged to see groups try to include topics like transgender justice and Black Lives Matter in the teachings.

"We are not perfect people, and there have been mistakes in the past of which we have to talk about and educate, but we have to give that full context because we should not be teaching our kids that we aren't the best. We are the best, we are the defenders of the free world," Drogin said.

Meanwhile, a big push back from left-leaning groups, like the Houston Federation of Teachers, is that the proposed changes ignore too much of the global history that has shaped America.

"If you want to only emphasize the history of the country of course it's nationalists," Houston Federation of Teachers organizer Andrew Dewy said.

Dewy said that as ideas change and history plays out, how they're taught should also evolve.

"Alexander the Great, how do we know he was great? Maybe he was mediocre. We only know what people tell us, and they may not be telling us the truth, so we have to look at history from many different perspectives and let the student of history, this is a radical idea, come up with their own conclusion," Dewy said.

Wednesday's State Board of Education meeting will be followed by a 30-day public comment period. The board aims to finalize and adopt the changes by June, though the updates won't be implemented until 2030.

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