The new social studies standards from the Alaska Dept. of Education deemphasize the massive role of Christianity and Western values in the development of education, healthcare, culture and law – both in Alaska and the United States.
The 129-page document includes zero references to Christianity or the Natural Law, which were foundational in the understanding and recognition of basic human rights in Alaska and the nation as a whole.
Instead, there is a single passing reference for students to “identify the impacts of missionaries and missionary activity throughout Alaska’s history,” and another for them to “analyze the social, political, cultural and economic issues that emerged from the initial Russian and European contact in Alaska.”
By contrast, there are 45 references to “Indigenous knowledge” and “ways of knowing,” and throughout the standards there are repeatedly prompts for students to consider the negative impacts of non-Native cultures and groups. This includes multiple references to analyze how Indigenous groups resisted colonial, Western and “white supremacist ideologies.”
The section titled, “Age of Exploration, Exploitation and Colonialism,” states that students should “identify primary and secondary sources related to European exploration and colonialization, considering their reliability and bias.”
Throughout much of the standards, there is a heavy emphasis on slavery, oppression and systemic inequity in the United States.
This is a national trend, Randall observed, with state education departments taking their guiding structure and emphasis from ideologically extreme curriculum-development groups.
The standards were developed by a select group of entrenched educational bureaucrats along with members of liberal nonprofits and representatives of Alaska Native tribes. Rather than include the wider public – such as historians, parents and a few representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church – the 35 drafters quietly invited an exclusive group of “reflective friends” to provide feedback. These individuals were picked by education department staffers and included only state educators from various school districts.
Only at the very end, did the drafters hold a “focus group,” which slightly diversified the feedback to include staffers from an unnamed state legislator and input from a group called “Alaska Christians United for Israel.”
The standards, which were approved by the State Board of Education in December of last year, are used to develop curriculum and select specific classroom materials for districts around the state.
Alaska’s policymakers should step in and appoint an independent commission to draft depoliticized, content-rich social studies standards, Randall concludes.
The ideological slant of the standards has drawn national media attention. Writing for The Federalist on Oct. 22, David Randall noted that the standards appear to be developed by “radical activists embedded in state education departments,” a problem facing much of the nation.
“The standards’ absences include basic facts of American history, much of how our government works, and our foundational documents of liberty,” he observed. “The standards also introduced substantial new amounts of politicized material.”
This is a national trend, Randall observed, with state education departments taking their guiding structure and emphasis from ideologically extreme curriculum-development groups across the nation that infuse social studies with identity politics and progressive activism.
Randall’s article takes issue with the way the Alaska standards were developed, calling them discriminatory, bureaucratic and politicized. The result, he said, is a document devoid of essential content and difficult to understand.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
He also objects to the failure of the standards to suggest “any hint” that Christian understandings of the human person or technological advancement might have improved Americans’ standard of living.
Randall suggests that a more balanced social studies education would focus less on identity politics and Indigenous resistance efforts to colonialism and emphasize the study of founding “documents of liberty” and “patriotic content.”
“The [Alaska Education] department’s regular personnel have failed so completely to provide adequate social studies standards that Alaska’s policymakers should step in and appoint an independent commission to draft depoliticized, content-rich social studies standards,” Randall concludes. “That’s what needs to happen in Alaska — and in most states of the union, red, purple, or blue. Radical bureaucrats staff virtually every state education department. They impose radical social studies standards where they can, and they sabotage education reform efforts to the best of their ability.”
20 Comments
Its just a metric model for performance. It should be graded an F and thrown to the shelf. Then take another metric model and grade it according to the competencies it does or does not show in material and knowledge. Surely, a grading system for the work is set and is in use for performance of the material to be taught.
Next, change the group out if it does not meet standards of review.
Our records systems in our state and federal records management and the universities along with Library of congress have a good history of these practices and how to go about the competencies by members of a board before publication. There should be a standard of care to add to the construction of the metric models through those expert channels and a part of education development. We don’t have to take the word of just anyone.
Great news! Logic, accurate, scientifically provable curricula outpace Sunday Schools any day of the week. Stop using our public schools to indoctrinate students in your Christian fantasy tale!
Said by the fellow who benefits daily from the Scientific Method (hint: developed by the Scholastics in the 12th Century, i.e. Dominicans), from Western jurisprudence (hint: developed in England based upon Natural Law, which grew out of Catholic philosophy and the Catholic notion that individuals are made in the imagine and likeness of God and therefore worthy of life), from the rules of engagement developed from the Catholic philosophy of Just War and the defense of innocents), and on, and on, and on. Read a book. Learn history. Or please, find somewhere that suits your self-centered view of the universe more closely. We;’ve heard the arguments. You have invented nothing.
Fun list Tamra but the scientific method was NOT invented by Dominicans or anyone else for that matter. It is a way of thinking, a way of assessing truth and reality and making informed decisions. Dominicans maybe we’re first to describe it, I don’t know.
Tam, do you think the Catholics scholastics would be offended if their role in achieving a better life for others would be offended if they did not receive their credit? Little secret… they would care less if the Catholic Church were acknowledged for this accomplishment. They know in their heart what they did and that it helped. I’m Catholic, are you?
Repent.
Micah, love you, brother.
Mr. Jones, it’s obvious that you have no idea where the scientific method came from. Moreover, it’s even more clear that it’s just another religion for you. Try reading some history books.
Truth’s a bitch Joel. ( BTW, that’s a quote from Shakespeare; seriously). I learned that in my social studies class. Also, he was most likely a christian though it’s not certain.
How about we teach Western Civilization and actual History? Social Studies is a load of… garbage.
Tam, you only want history that you “approve” of taught. You care nothing about actual history. Your failure to accept the reality of history doesn’t make it go away.
I’ve sent another reply, but unfortunately it is currently under moderation.
Here I. Am. Is it true that many Catholic priests sexually abuse Alaskan native children back in the day? And if it is true, should we be informed about that past?
Tam, give me a good number, from your perspective, of the number of deaths of slaves during the slave trade that should be taught in our schools under History?
It always amazes me when the lefties show up on an unabashedly conservative site to weigh in on conservative discussion. It’s as though they are attracted like a magnet to iron- just can’t stay away from pontificating and correcting (they believe) the flawed conservative point of view. I, on the other hand, never go to the few lefty sites and pour out my point of view. It’s still a free world and that enclave is theirs to marinate in their error. I just don’t care.
As a history and social studies teacher for 30 some years, it is has been my job to have students look at all angles and think critically. Also, I bet you’ll never find in the state standards any mention of Tlingit slavery (well into the 1880s), Yupik on Yupik “bow and arrow wars” which nearly wiped out half their population before squelched by the Russians, or the incursion of the Dine into Sugpiaq territory in historic times. The only bad guys they ever want to portray are the whites. Bad, biased and agenda driven.
And the Tlingit slaves were the Haida. And now Tlingit/ Haida are grouped together in a friendly partnership because of Westerners (anthropologists?) . But don’t be fooled, the Haida know what went on back then & how the Tlingit enslaved & killed their people.
Steve, an excellent post. Thank you.
Tamra, would you be supportive of teaching about slavery and its effects?
Tam, I would love to hear you thoughts about this but I am continually moderated. If you would like to have some civil conversation that may help, tell me where and when. Discord, Whatsapp?