| By Bob Weaver
Politics could not only be trumping science, but trumping how history should be taught
While railing against the US teaching standards called Common Core, wanting them abolished, because they maintain it is big government control over education, WV Republican legislators are now trying to pass an education bill that tells educators what history and civics should be be taught in WV public schools.
Just two weeks ago, the WV Board of Education was in the business of modifying WV science texts teaching of climate change.
Under H.B. 2107, students wouldn't be able to graduate from high school without three semesters of American history, and they can't take any classes outside of American history before they've completed those three semesters.
But curiously, there is a list of topics that students are prohibited from learning until they've completed their three semesters of American history.
The bill states that students wouldn't be able to take any history classes that deal with social problems, global economics, foreign affairs, the United Nations, world government, socialism, or communism.
The bill places emphasis on the nation's founding, The Federalist Papers, and the Anti-Federalist Papers.
The question would be if students would be able to gain full understanding of U.S. history without some of the auxiliary topics?
West Virginia Education Association President Dale Lee maintains it would not.
"I've said over the seven years I've been [WVEA] President, if you want to make changes in public education that will make a difference for kids, bring the experts into the table," said Lee. "And those are the teachers across the state."
In this case, it's politicians, he said.
Fascinatingly, H.B. 2107 penalizes teachers who don't comply with the curriculum with a fine, a misdemeanor charge, and a one-year suspension.
Good grief.
Republican Delegate Jim Butler said that he feels confident that the language of the bill would have been amended if the Education Committee decides to move it forward, but agreeing with the core principals.
The bill had eight Republican sponsors-Jim Butler, Ruth Rowan, Michael Moffatt, Kelli Sobonya, Eric Householder, Cindy Frich, Geoff Foster, and longest serving member of the House John Overington-who has proposed this bill every year since 2005.
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