What Civil War?

Just stumbled on this site (3/6/04). If you believe an educrat . . . then obviously, you have had little experience with public education. As a veteran of public school teaching, I have learned to believe NOTHING that is “handed down” by educrats until I thoroughly check the information. My editorial in the Atlanta newspaper was completely accurate. The rebuttal from the state department of education was riddled with misrepresentations and inaccuracies. Want to know the whole story? Read below.
The High School History Curriculum
From Joseph Jarrell
History Teacher, McIntosh High School
Peachtree City, GA
jarrell.joseph@fcboe.org
Inaccuracies and Misrepresentations
In response to an article I wrote outlining the �dumbing down� of the high school history curriculum (below), the State Department of Education has released a statement entitled �The Truth about Georgia’s New Curriculum� (below). Unfortunately, it contains numerous inaccuracies and misrepresentations. The following information details my response to them.
Item 1 � The State Department article says �A Georgia teacher claimed that our new Social Studies Curriculum would not serve the state’s students well.�
My article dealt with the high school world history curriculum and high school U.S. history. It was not an attempt to discuss the social studies curriculum at all grade levels. I firmly believe the new high school history curriculum is seriously flawed. I have communicated with numerous others in my field from across the state who share my concerns.
Item 2 � �The truth is that nearly all of the laundry list of names and events listed in his letter actually are in the new curriculum�and were never in the old curriculum to begin with!�
My article listed 32 items not in the new high school history curriculum. (These follow.) I never wrote that these were not included in the social studies curriculum; I stated that they would not be studied on the high school level. My statement is completely and entirely accurate.
Furthermore, the article is misleading in its statement that these �were never in the old curriculum to begin with.� Below I have listed all of the 32 topics I mentioned in my original article and where a teacher would discuss each topic as a part of the present curriculum.
Following are 18 topics presently included in world history and 14 topics presently included in U.S. history that are not a part of the new (GPS) high school world and U.S. history curriculum. After each item is the QCC topic number in which the item is presently discussed. Because the QCC is fairly general, each item may not be mentioned by name in the curriculum; however, each item is covered by teachers as a part of the topic.
World History Topics taught in the present curriculum
Teachers discuss Ancient Egypt as part of QCC World History Topic 2.
Teachers discuss Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, The Iliad, The Odyssey, development of democratic government in Greece, and the fall of the Roman Empire as part of QCC World History Topic 3.
The Buddha and Confucius are discussed as a part of QCC World History Topics 3 and 4.
Jesus is discussed as a part of QCC World History Topic 5.
Feudalism, Joan of Arc, and William the Conqueror are discussed as a part of QCC World History Topic 5.
Muhammad is discussed as a part of QCC World History Topic 6.
U.S. History Topics taught in the present curriculum
Teachers discuss the Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark, Indian removal, and the Trail of Tears as part of QCC U.S. History Topic 13.
The Alamo is presently discussed as a part of QCC U.S. History Topic 15.
Daniel Webster and Henry Clay are discussed as a part of QCC U.S. History Topics 13, 14, 15, and 18.
Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, the Underground Railroad are discussed as a part of QCC U.S. History Topic 16.
Civil War, Fort Sumter, Abraham Lincoln, and Robert E. Lee are presently discussed as a part of QCC U.S. History Topic 20.
To recap, the 32 topics that I listed in my article are presently taught throughout the state by high school history teachers. That is just a sampling of topics that will NOT be taught if the GPS are followed by teachers.
Item 3 � �Judaism, for example, was not even mentioned in the old curriculum.�
QCC World History Topic 2 plainly, clearly, and specifically notes the study of �Judaism and historic development.�
Item 4 � �Classical civilizations, meanwhile, were covered in one sentence in the old Quality Core Curriculum.�
This statement is quite misleading. There are 28 topics in the QCC World History curriculum. One of the 28 is the study of classical civilizations (Topic 3). Almost all of the 28 topics (such as Topic 3) consist of merely one sentence. However, because Topic 3 of the QCC World History curriculum is one of 28, the study of these civilizations comprises almost 4% of the present world history curriculum.
The new curriculum does not provide for discussion of classical civilizations because the GPS specifically states that the world history curriculum will begin with AD 1500.
Item 5 � �In the unit on ancient Greece alone . . .�
There is NO unit on ancient Greece in the new high school world history curriculum. The first lines of the new high school world history curriculum state, �The student will explore world events from 1500 to the present.� There is no discussion of any ancient or medieval history in the new high school curriculum because those two periods of history occurred before 1500.
Item 6 � �Teachers have been provided with suggested student assignments, including . . . Alexander the Great . . . The Iliad and The Odyssey . . . Athens and Sparta. . . .�
These are suggestions for teachers in the lower grades. The topics are not mentioned in the new high school world history curriculum. Elementary teachers lack the subject area knowledge to teach these subjects in sufficient depth and their younger students lack the maturity required to understand some of the more complex issues included in the study of these civilizations.
Item 7 � �The writer contended that The Iliad and The Odyssey weren’t mentioned in the new curriculum.�
Absolutely false. My clear contention, and the fact is, these items are not mentioned in the high school curriculum.
Item 8 � �Neither of Homer’s epic works were included in the old curriculum.�
Teachers throughout the state discuss these two poems as a part of QCC World History Topic 3.
Item 9 � �Far from eliminating Plato, the Civil War . . . .�
I never said these were eliminated from the curriculum. I said, and they are, eliminated from the high school curriculum.
Summary
My response is not meant to be a complete dissection of the article entitled �The Truth about Georgia’s New Curriculum.� It is merely intended to specify the falsehoods, misrepresentations, and half-truths contained in the article. The QCC does need revising. Few argue otherwise. My position is that the scope (time frame) of the high school history courses should not be changed. Please read my article below for details.
(Following is the Education Department�s response to my article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution 1/25/04. My article is below.)
The Truth About Georgia’s New Curriculum
http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/curriculum/instruction/qcc/truth_curriculum.asp
In Sunday’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a Georgia teacher claimed that our new Social Studies Curriculum would not serve the state’s students well. The truth is that nearly all of the laundry list of names and events listed in his letter actually are in the new curriculum�and were never in the old curriculum to begin with!
The truth is that the old curriculum has failed Georgia’s students for too many years. A Phi Delta Kappa audit of the social studies curriculum showed that it not only lacked depth and could not be covered in a reasonable amount of time; it did not even meet national standards.
And the truth is that, yes, there has been a “dumbing down” of Georgia’s students; it has been taking place over the last twenty years, and we are ending it now.
We have incorporated more world history than ever before, ensuring that African, Asian, and other non-western civilizations, ideas, and religions enhance students’ understanding of the development of the modern world. Judaism, for example, was not even mentioned in the old curriculum. Now students will learn of the origins and significance of Judaism as the first monotheistic religion, study the role of the patriarchal figures, and examine the impact of the Hebrew concepts of justice and personal responsibility on the modern world.
Classical civilizations, meanwhile, were covered in one sentence in the old Quality Core Curriculum. The extent of the guidelines teachers received was that they should “identify the characteristics of each of these classical civilizations: China, India, Greece, and Rome.” This type of one-sentence directive forced teachers to pick and choose what should be taught. The new curriculum, on the other hand, provides teachers with extensive guidelines, supplemented with suggested tasks, sample student work, and commentary that will enable teachers to present material in ways that will enhance student learning and critical thinking. Rather than relying solely on textbooks, classroom lectures, and student regurgitation of memorized facts, teachers will be able to use primary sources, famous historical works, and research.
In the unit on ancient Greece alone, teachers will see that their students should “examine ancient Greece and analyze the role of geography in the development, growth, and expansion of the Greek civilization.” They will analyze the “development of government in ancient Greece and its influence upon the democratic system of government in the United States.” They will learn of the “importance of Greek mythology and how it continues to influence our literature and language today.” They will read and hear of “important historical events in ancient Greece,” and they will examine the “enduring contributions” of that civilization.
And those are just the performance standards. Additionally, teachers have been provided with suggested student assignments, including the development of annotated timelines of the life of Alexander the Great, an examination of The Iliad and The Odyssey, and a comparison and contrast of Athens and Sparta. The writer contended that The Iliad and The Odyssey weren’t mentioned in the new curriculum. Actually, neither of Homer’s epic works were included in the old curriculum, but now Georgia’s students will study them in both the sixth grade and in their high school World Literature class, where they will examine Greek, Roman, and western European literature and the historical context of each work.
Far from eliminating Plato, the Civil War, and the very foundations of society itself from the curriculum, we have actually raised the bar in Georgia by infusing these concepts at earlier grades than ever before, ensuring that our students master the material before they enter high school. For the same reason, we are now requiring that all of our students take algebra as middle schoolers, in the eighth grade, rather than in the high school years as in the past.
Is it too much to ask that our students learn and master material at earlier grades? Research shows that elementary and middle school students are capable of handling more complex material than the previous curriculum required. We don’t need to dumb down expectations for our younger students and leave challenging material for the high school years alone.
Will students remember the Alamo? Yes; they will remember it from their fifth grade studies. In much the same way that our rising ninth graders will be expected to remember the algebra they learned the previous year, our high school students will be held accountable for having learned the foundational elements of American history when they enter US history courses in high school.
There are those who think maintaining the status quo and preserving a curriculum that has failed our children is the way to bring success to our schools. I disagree. With the new Georgia Performance Standards, we are no longer forcing our teachers and students to settle for a shallow view of history. Instead, we are giving them a curriculum that will allow our schools and students to lead the nation in improved achievement.
“We want to invite you to read and provide feedback on the draft of the new Georgia Performance Standards, which are now available for public review and comment at http://www.gadoe.org. Also, please take the time to compare and contrast Georgia�s old Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) with the new Georgia Performance Standards. We feel confident that you will agree that we have dramatically upgraded the curriculum, ensuring that it is not only thorough, but world-class. Your feedback will help us make final revisions to the document, which will be up for approval by the State Board of Education in May.
Dumbing Down History in Georgia Schools
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/0104/25history.html
Diluting our history courses solves nothing. In spite of efforts to make the new curriculum sound plausible, it is a terrible disservice to all Georgians.
By JOSEPH JARRELL
History Teacher
McIntosh High School
Peachtree City, Georgia
jarrell.joseph@fcboe.org
The Georgia Department of Education recently unveiled a draft of the new high school history curriculum. Officials tout it as “world class.” It’s not. They describe it as “rigorous” and “strengthened.” It’s neither. With much fanfare, spokesmen say it will raise expectations. It won’t.
While presented as part of the state’s vision of “leading the nation in improving student achievement,” the new curriculum will actually result in nothing more than dumbing down world history and U.S history courses.
Remember the childhood story of the king who wanted all to see his fine new attire? In the old fable, the emperor was actually naked. Such is the case here. The grand parade of sound bites and press releases notwithstanding, the emperor has no clothes.
Of course, in the new curriculum, history will have fewer emperors. The current high school world history course surveys civilization from the earliest times to the present. The new curriculum calls for teaching only the period from 1500 to the 21st century. Students will no longer study such figures as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, William the Conqueror or Joan of Arc.
“The Iliad” and “The Odyssey” will not be mentioned. The development of democratic government in Greece and the fall of the Roman Empire will be skipped.
Jesus, Muhammad, the Buddha and Confucius are not to be found in the new curriculum. Great civilizations like ancient Egypt will no longer merit study, and the concept of feudalism will not be discussed.
The present 11th-grade U.S. history course covers the Exploration period to today. In the proposed changes, teachers will spend two or three weeks discussing the foundation of our country, with the remaining time devoted to studying events from 1876 to the present. Gone is any mention of the Louisiana Purchase or Lewis and Clark. There will be no discussion of Indian removal and the Trail of Tears.
Students probably will not be remembering the Alamo; it won’t be a topic of discussion in Georgia’s high schools. Daniel Webster and Henry Clay will be omitted, as well as Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and the Underground Railroad.
Search in vain for discussion of the Civil War; that topic is off limits. In a course entitled “American History,” students will not study our most devastating war. There is no mention of Fort Sumter, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee or anything else associated with those years.
Though teachers supposedly have no time to discuss topics essential to understanding our heritage, the curriculum suggests they have their students write a 1920s radio drama. Teachers are also encouraged to assign essays about dating in the Jazz Age and to show segments from “All in the Family,” “Good Times” and “Chico and the Man.”
I have yet to talk to any teacher who likes the new curriculum, though I am sure there are some who favor the idea of teaching less. The misguided rationale behind the hastily prepared revision is that we teach too much history in high school. The solution? Eliminate 40 percent of the current coursework.
Education officials note that much of the material removed from the high school courses will be taught in grades four through seven. They ignore the fact that elementary and middle school students lack the maturity necessary to grasp the importance of many of the events, people and concepts.
Short cuts unwelcome
Certainly it is a constant challenge to complete the present curriculum. I often feel as though I am running a marathon; however, like any runner, I feel a sense of pride when my students and I complete the race. I know that those who have passed the course have learned an enormous amount. Would it be easier to teach less? Of course.
Would the new curriculum reduce my workload? Doubtlessly. But like so many other history teachers, I know that while claiming to seek the road to excellence, educrats are really leading us down the path of least resistance.
There is also a sinister element to the changes. States are facing new federal mandates to improve test scores. Interestingly, states can devise many of the tests used to measure this improvement. While mandating that we teach less, Georgia will prepare assessments that test less. Interesting formula: teach less, test less, brag more.
Imagine a similar approach with math. Teach half the multiplication tables and test only the half that is taught. Surely scores would rise and the headlines would scream that math scores improved! But students suffer when perception becomes more important than learning.
Wisdom in short supply
The state Education Department plans to spend thousands of dollars to train history teachers about the new curriculum. Teachers will collectively groan when they read about these “professional development” seminars. We will be held captive for days, perhaps weeks, while people with substantially less classroom experience tell us how to teach.
Oh, the wisdom of those who rule! Millions of dollars are being slashed from the education budget, but the state plans to spend countless thousands training veteran history teachers to teach less.
What will be the net result of the proposed changes? Those in charge will proclaim it a success. Contrived tests will probably yield desired scores.
But in a few years the truth will emerge. We will read surveys detailing the number of Georgia high school students who have no understanding of the Civil War. Newspaper articles will document the ridiculous ignorance among our teenagers regarding ancient civilizations. We will flush with embarrassment when students say “the Gettysburg what?”
The public will demand, and rightfully so, a broad, thorough coverage of history on the high school level. Taxpayers will then be forced to pay for the development of yet another curriculum.
Let us save ourselves trouble, expense and time by acknowledging that diluting our history courses solves nothing. In spite of efforts to make the new curriculum sound plausible, it is a terrible disservice to all Georgians. We should never seek to do less; never diminish our expectations; never weaken our standards. If we are to demand the best from our students, then surely they deserve only the best from us.
JOSEPH JARRELL has taught at McIntosh High School in Peachtree City for the past 16 years. This is his 25th year as a history teacher.
Readers can review the curriculum proposals and comment at the Georgia Learning Connections Web site (http://glc.k12.ga.us/spotlight/gps2.htm)
Quick References
� The present (old) curriculum (Quality Core Curriculum or QCC) can be accessed on the web at http://www.glc.k12.ga.us/qcc.
� The proposed curriculum (Georgia Performance Standards or GPS) can be accessed on the web at http://www.glc.k12.ga.us/spotlight/gps2.htm.
� My Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) article �Dumbing Down History in Georgia Schools� appears below and on the web at http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/0104/25history.html.
� The State Department of Education�s response to the AJC article entitled �The Truth about Georgia’s New [History] Curriculum� appears below and on the web at http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/curriculum/instruction/qcc/truth_curriculum.asp.

Ricky

January 31, 2004

The AJC is indeed a horrendous paper.
Great sports section, though. 🙂
Thanks for the link. Let’s hope Kevin informs his readers of the facts with at least an update, if not a correction.
TK

January 31, 2004

I’m singularly unimpressed by the Board’s rebuttal. Rather than claim that the material is taught earlier, prove it. The release contains no links, just airy handwaving directed at the rest of the website. In addition, note the weasel word in the release: ” The truth is that nearly all of the laundry list of names and events listed in his letter actually are in the new curriculum�and were never in the old curriculum to begin with!” Rather than go on to identify which names are and are not in the curriculum, the release immediately changes the subject. It’s reminiscent of an aluminum siding pitchman’s response to a sketpical buyer, not an honest rebuttal.
Ricky

February 1, 2004

TK, the link to my site includes several links within, where the high-school curriculum denotes that there is plenty of information to be taught.
Joseph Jarrell

March 6, 2004

Just stumbled on this site (3/6/04). If you believe an educrat . . . then obviously, you have had little experience with public education. As a veteran of public school teaching, I have learned to believe NOTHING that is “handed down” by educrats until I thoroughly check the information. My editorial in the Atlanta newspaper was completely accurate. The rebuttal from the state department of education was riddled with misrepresentations and inaccuracies. Want to know the whole story? Read below.
The High School History Curriculum
From Joseph Jarrell
History Teacher, McIntosh High School
Peachtree City, GA
jarrell.joseph@fcboe.org
Inaccuracies and Misrepresentations
In response to an article I wrote outlining the �dumbing down� of the high school history curriculum (below), the State Department of Education has released a statement entitled �The Truth about Georgia’s New Curriculum� (below). Unfortunately, it contains numerous inaccuracies and misrepresentations. The following information details my response to them.
Item 1 � The State Department article says �A Georgia teacher claimed that our new Social Studies Curriculum would not serve the state’s students well.�
My article dealt with the high school world history curriculum and high school U.S. history. It was not an attempt to discuss the social studies curriculum at all grade levels. I firmly believe the new high school history curriculum is seriously flawed. I have communicated with numerous others in my field from across the state who share my concerns.
Item 2 � �The truth is that nearly all of the laundry list of names and events listed in his letter actually are in the new curriculum�and were never in the old curriculum to begin with!�
My article listed 32 items not in the new high school history curriculum. (These follow.) I never wrote that these were not included in the social studies curriculum; I stated that they would not be studied on the high school level. My statement is completely and entirely accurate.
Furthermore, the article is misleading in its statement that these �were never in the old curriculum to begin with.� Below I have listed all of the 32 topics I mentioned in my original article and where a teacher would discuss each topic as a part of the present curriculum.
Following are 18 topics presently included in world history and 14 topics presently included in U.S. history that are not a part of the new (GPS) high school world and U.S. history curriculum. After each item is the QCC topic number in which the item is presently discussed. Because the QCC is fairly general, each item may not be mentioned by name in the curriculum; however, each item is covered by teachers as a part of the topic.
World History Topics taught in the present curriculum
Teachers discuss Ancient Egypt as part of QCC World History Topic 2.
Teachers discuss Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, The Iliad, The Odyssey, development of democratic government in Greece, and the fall of the Roman Empire as part of QCC World History Topic 3.
The Buddha and Confucius are discussed as a part of QCC World History Topics 3 and 4.
Jesus is discussed as a part of QCC World History Topic 5.
Feudalism, Joan of Arc, and William the Conqueror are discussed as a part of QCC World History Topic 5.
Muhammad is discussed as a part of QCC World History Topic 6.
U.S. History Topics taught in the present curriculum
Teachers discuss the Louisiana Purchase, Lewis and Clark, Indian removal, and the Trail of Tears as part of QCC U.S. History Topic 13.
The Alamo is presently discussed as a part of QCC U.S. History Topic 15.
Daniel Webster and Henry Clay are discussed as a part of QCC U.S. History Topics 13, 14, 15, and 18.
Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, the Underground Railroad are discussed as a part of QCC U.S. History Topic 16.
Civil War, Fort Sumter, Abraham Lincoln, and Robert E. Lee are presently discussed as a part of QCC U.S. History Topic 20.
To recap, the 32 topics that I listed in my article are presently taught throughout the state by high school history teachers. That is just a sampling of topics that will NOT be taught if the GPS are followed by teachers.
Item 3 � �Judaism, for example, was not even mentioned in the old curriculum.�
QCC World History Topic 2 plainly, clearly, and specifically notes the study of �Judaism and historic development.�
Item 4 � �Classical civilizations, meanwhile, were covered in one sentence in the old Quality Core Curriculum.�
This statement is quite misleading. There are 28 topics in the QCC World History curriculum. One of the 28 is the study of classical civilizations (Topic 3). Almost all of the 28 topics (such as Topic 3) consist of merely one sentence. However, because Topic 3 of the QCC World History curriculum is one of 28, the study of these civilizations comprises almost 4% of the present world history curriculum.
The new curriculum does not provide for discussion of classical civilizations because the GPS specifically states that the world history curriculum will begin with AD 1500.
Item 5 � �In the unit on ancient Greece alone . . .�
There is NO unit on ancient Greece in the new high school world history curriculum. The first lines of the new high school world history curriculum state, �The student will explore world events from 1500 to the present.� There is no discussion of any ancient or medieval history in the new high school curriculum because those two periods of history occurred before 1500.
Item 6 � �Teachers have been provided with suggested student assignments, including . . . Alexander the Great . . . The Iliad and The Odyssey . . . Athens and Sparta. . . .�
These are suggestions for teachers in the lower grades. The topics are not mentioned in the new high school world history curriculum. Elementary teachers lack the subject area knowledge to teach these subjects in sufficient depth and their younger students lack the maturity required to understand some of the more complex issues included in the study of these civilizations.
Item 7 � �The writer contended that The Iliad and The Odyssey weren’t mentioned in the new curriculum.�
Absolutely false. My clear contention, and the fact is, these items are not mentioned in the high school curriculum.
Item 8 � �Neither of Homer’s epic works were included in the old curriculum.�
Teachers throughout the state discuss these two poems as a part of QCC World History Topic 3.
Item 9 � �Far from eliminating Plato, the Civil War . . . .�
I never said these were eliminated from the curriculum. I said, and they are, eliminated from the high school curriculum.
Summary
My response is not meant to be a complete dissection of the article entitled �The Truth about Georgia’s New Curriculum.� It is merely intended to specify the falsehoods, misrepresentations, and half-truths contained in the article. The QCC does need revising. Few argue otherwise. My position is that the scope (time frame) of the high school history courses should not be changed. Please read my article below for details.
(Following is the Education Department�s response to my article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution 1/25/04. My article is below.)
The Truth About Georgia’s New Curriculum
http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/curriculum/instruction/qcc/truth_curriculum.asp
In Sunday’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a Georgia teacher claimed that our new Social Studies Curriculum would not serve the state’s students well. The truth is that nearly all of the laundry list of names and events listed in his letter actually are in the new curriculum�and were never in the old curriculum to begin with!
The truth is that the old curriculum has failed Georgia’s students for too many years. A Phi Delta Kappa audit of the social studies curriculum showed that it not only lacked depth and could not be covered in a reasonable amount of time; it did not even meet national standards.
And the truth is that, yes, there has been a “dumbing down” of Georgia’s students; it has been taking place over the last twenty years, and we are ending it now.
We have incorporated more world history than ever before, ensuring that African, Asian, and other non-western civilizations, ideas, and religions enhance students’ understanding of the development of the modern world. Judaism, for example, was not even mentioned in the old curriculum. Now students will learn of the origins and significance of Judaism as the first monotheistic religion, study the role of the patriarchal figures, and examine the impact of the Hebrew concepts of justice and personal responsibility on the modern world.
Classical civilizations, meanwhile, were covered in one sentence in the old Quality Core Curriculum. The extent of the guidelines teachers received was that they should “identify the characteristics of each of these classical civilizations: China, India, Greece, and Rome.” This type of one-sentence directive forced teachers to pick and choose what should be taught. The new curriculum, on the other hand, provides teachers with extensive guidelines, supplemented with suggested tasks, sample student work, and commentary that will enable teachers to present material in ways that will enhance student learning and critical thinking. Rather than relying solely on textbooks, classroom lectures, and student regurgitation of memorized facts, teachers will be able to use primary sources, famous historical works, and research.
In the unit on ancient Greece alone, teachers will see that their students should “examine ancient Greece and analyze the role of geography in the development, growth, and expansion of the Greek civilization.” They will analyze the “development of government in ancient Greece and its influence upon the democratic system of government in the United States.” They will learn of the “importance of Greek mythology and how it continues to influence our literature and language today.” They will read and hear of “important historical events in ancient Greece,” and they will examine the “enduring contributions” of that civilization.
And those are just the performance standards. Additionally, teachers have been provided with suggested student assignments, including the development of annotated timelines of the life of Alexander the Great, an examination of The Iliad and The Odyssey, and a comparison and contrast of Athens and Sparta. The writer contended that The Iliad and The Odyssey weren’t mentioned in the new curriculum. Actually, neither of Homer’s epic works were included in the old curriculum, but now Georgia’s students will study them in both the sixth grade and in their high school World Literature class, where they will examine Greek, Roman, and western European literature and the historical context of each work.
Far from eliminating Plato, the Civil War, and the very foundations of society itself from the curriculum, we have actually raised the bar in Georgia by infusing these concepts at earlier grades than ever before, ensuring that our students master the material before they enter high school. For the same reason, we are now requiring that all of our students take algebra as middle schoolers, in the eighth grade, rather than in the high school years as in the past.
Is it too much to ask that our students learn and master material at earlier grades? Research shows that elementary and middle school students are capable of handling more complex material than the previous curriculum required. We don’t need to dumb down expectations for our younger students and leave challenging material for the high school years alone.
Will students remember the Alamo? Yes; they will remember it from their fifth grade studies. In much the same way that our rising ninth graders will be expected to remember the algebra they learned the previous year, our high school students will be held accountable for having learned the foundational elements of American history when they enter US history courses in high school.
There are those who think maintaining the status quo and preserving a curriculum that has failed our children is the way to bring success to our schools. I disagree. With the new Georgia Performance Standards, we are no longer forcing our teachers and students to settle for a shallow view of history. Instead, we are giving them a curriculum that will allow our schools and students to lead the nation in improved achievement.
“We want to invite you to read and provide feedback on the draft of the new Georgia Performance Standards, which are now available for public review and comment at http://www.gadoe.org. Also, please take the time to compare and contrast Georgia�s old Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) with the new Georgia Performance Standards. We feel confident that you will agree that we have dramatically upgraded the curriculum, ensuring that it is not only thorough, but world-class. Your feedback will help us make final revisions to the document, which will be up for approval by the State Board of Education in May.
Dumbing Down History in Georgia Schools
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/0104/25history.html
Diluting our history courses solves nothing. In spite of efforts to make the new curriculum sound plausible, it is a terrible disservice to all Georgians.
By JOSEPH JARRELL
History Teacher
McIntosh High School
Peachtree City, Georgia
jarrell.joseph@fcboe.org
The Georgia Department of Education recently unveiled a draft of the new high school history curriculum. Officials tout it as “world class.” It’s not. They describe it as “rigorous” and “strengthened.” It’s neither. With much fanfare, spokesmen say it will raise expectations. It won’t.
While presented as part of the state’s vision of “leading the nation in improving student achievement,” the new curriculum will actually result in nothing more than dumbing down world history and U.S history courses.
Remember the childhood story of the king who wanted all to see his fine new attire? In the old fable, the emperor was actually naked. Such is the case here. The grand parade of sound bites and press releases notwithstanding, the emperor has no clothes.
Of course, in the new curriculum, history will have fewer emperors. The current high school world history course surveys civilization from the earliest times to the present. The new curriculum calls for teaching only the period from 1500 to the 21st century. Students will no longer study such figures as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, William the Conqueror or Joan of Arc.
“The Iliad” and “The Odyssey” will not be mentioned. The development of democratic government in Greece and the fall of the Roman Empire will be skipped.
Jesus, Muhammad, the Buddha and Confucius are not to be found in the new curriculum. Great civilizations like ancient Egypt will no longer merit study, and the concept of feudalism will not be discussed.
The present 11th-grade U.S. history course covers the Exploration period to today. In the proposed changes, teachers will spend two or three weeks discussing the foundation of our country, with the remaining time devoted to studying events from 1876 to the present. Gone is any mention of the Louisiana Purchase or Lewis and Clark. There will be no discussion of Indian removal and the Trail of Tears.
Students probably will not be remembering the Alamo; it won’t be a topic of discussion in Georgia’s high schools. Daniel Webster and Henry Clay will be omitted, as well as Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and the Underground Railroad.
Search in vain for discussion of the Civil War; that topic is off limits. In a course entitled “American History,” students will not study our most devastating war. There is no mention of Fort Sumter, Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee or anything else associated with those years.
Though teachers supposedly have no time to discuss topics essential to understanding our heritage, the curriculum suggests they have their students write a 1920s radio drama. Teachers are also encouraged to assign essays about dating in the Jazz Age and to show segments from “All in the Family,” “Good Times” and “Chico and the Man.”
I have yet to talk to any teacher who likes the new curriculum, though I am sure there are some who favor the idea of teaching less. The misguided rationale behind the hastily prepared revision is that we teach too much history in high school. The solution? Eliminate 40 percent of the current coursework.
Education officials note that much of the material removed from the high school courses will be taught in grades four through seven. They ignore the fact that elementary and middle school students lack the maturity necessary to grasp the importance of many of the events, people and concepts.
Short cuts unwelcome
Certainly it is a constant challenge to complete the present curriculum. I often feel as though I am running a marathon; however, like any runner, I feel a sense of pride when my students and I complete the race. I know that those who have passed the course have learned an enormous amount. Would it be easier to teach less? Of course.
Would the new curriculum reduce my workload? Doubtlessly. But like so many other history teachers, I know that while claiming to seek the road to excellence, educrats are really leading us down the path of least resistance.
There is also a sinister element to the changes. States are facing new federal mandates to improve test scores. Interestingly, states can devise many of the tests used to measure this improvement. While mandating that we teach less, Georgia will prepare assessments that test less. Interesting formula: teach less, test less, brag more.
Imagine a similar approach with math. Teach half the multiplication tables and test only the half that is taught. Surely scores would rise and the headlines would scream that math scores improved! But students suffer when perception becomes more important than learning.
Wisdom in short supply
The state Education Department plans to spend thousands of dollars to train history teachers about the new curriculum. Teachers will collectively groan when they read about these “professional development” seminars. We will be held captive for days, perhaps weeks, while people with substantially less classroom experience tell us how to teach.
Oh, the wisdom of those who rule! Millions of dollars are being slashed from the education budget, but the state plans to spend countless thousands training veteran history teachers to teach less.
What will be the net result of the proposed changes? Those in charge will proclaim it a success. Contrived tests will probably yield desired scores.
But in a few years the truth will emerge. We will read surveys detailing the number of Georgia high school students who have no understanding of the Civil War. Newspaper articles will document the ridiculous ignorance among our teenagers regarding ancient civilizations. We will flush with embarrassment when students say “the Gettysburg what?”
The public will demand, and rightfully so, a broad, thorough coverage of history on the high school level. Taxpayers will then be forced to pay for the development of yet another curriculum.
Let us save ourselves trouble, expense and time by acknowledging that diluting our history courses solves nothing. In spite of efforts to make the new curriculum sound plausible, it is a terrible disservice to all Georgians. We should never seek to do less; never diminish our expectations; never weaken our standards. If we are to demand the best from our students, then surely they deserve only the best from us.
JOSEPH JARRELL has taught at McIntosh High School in Peachtree City for the past 16 years. This is his 25th year as a history teacher.
Readers can review the curriculum proposals and comment at the Georgia Learning Connections Web site (http://glc.k12.ga.us/spotlight/gps2.htm)
Quick References
� The present (old) curriculum (Quality Core Curriculum or QCC) can be accessed on the web at http://www.glc.k12.ga.us/qcc.
� The proposed curriculum (Georgia Performance Standards or GPS) can be accessed on the web at http://www.glc.k12.ga.us/spotlight/gps2.htm.
� My Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) article �Dumbing Down History in Georgia Schools� appears below and on the web at http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/0104/25history.html.
� The State Department of Education�s response to the AJC article entitled �The Truth about Georgia’s New [History] Curriculum� appears below and on the web at http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/curriculum/instruction/qcc/truth_curriculum.asp.

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Published

January 31, 2004

by Brian Arner | January 31, 2004

Published

January 31, 2004