Texas locks in new standards

On September 4 the State Board of Education gave final approval to revised standards for U.S. History, U.S. Government, World History and World Geography, closing out its K-12 social studies overhaul.

Months of fighting first

The vote came after months of debate and public testimony over how Texas students should be taught about American history, capitalism, Western civilization, Christianity and Islam.

A parent group pushes hard

Denise Bell, Moms for Liberty chapter chair for Harris County, told the board her daughter's AP US History course taught that capitalism stifles class mobility.

“Right now teens are being taught that collectivism is a viable alternative to capitalism.”

Bias is the argument

Bell backed amendments from board member Brandon Hall, saying Marxist and socialist bias shows up in Texas classrooms and that students deserve an accurate account of capitalism and the founding.

“An education free from historical bias and political propaganda is the bare minimum Texas students deserve.”

Founding principles and money

The board says the standards emphasize Western civilization and the principles behind the founding of Texas and the United States. It separately adopted financial literacy standards on budgeting, saving and investing.

The Islam language fight

Per a KTRK report, the board approved wording calling early Islamic campaigns against Jewish and Christian groups brutal, and naming Radical Islam as a motivation for the September 11 attacks.

A testimony clash

Hall pressed a Muslim activist on who the 9/11 victims were and said Muslims were perpetrators, not victims. The 19 hijackers were al-Qaeda members, and Muslims were among the nearly 3,000 killed.

“Muslims were not the victims on September 11; they were the perpetrators on September 11.”

Classrooms wait until 2030

CAIR's Sameeha Rizvi warned students may read the language as blaming the whole religion and asked for more specific wording. Schools start phasing the changes in during 2030-2031.