One portion of the Williamson County School System’s social studies curriculum about U.S. presidents appears politically balanced, and teachers may pick and choose certain portions that put certain presidents in positive or negative lights.
But suppose a teacher in the school system required students to only read the articles praising former U.S. Democratic President Barack Obama, for instance — and none of the articles criticizing him?
Or suppose a teacher who disliked former U.S. Republican President Ronald Reagan only required students to read articles criticizing him — and no articles praising him?
WCS officials told The Tennessee Star this week that, conceivably, that could happen, but that is not how teachers are trained.
“It goes against pedagogy, or the best way to teach,” said David Rector, WCS Social Studies and History Curriculum Specialist.
Rector told The Tennessee Star he tries to go into classrooms and monitor students when he can.
As for the portion of the online social studies curriculum that focused on Obama, the curriculum focuses on his setbacks and achievements. One Wall Street Journal video focuses on how Obama achieved and failed his policy goals, while a Chicago Tribune article focuses on how Obamacare raised health insurance rates.
As for Reagan, the online social studies curriculum discusses Arms for Hostages, but it also discusses how Reagan revitalized national pride.
The online social studies curriculum pertaining to former Democratic President Bill Clinton, meanwhile, focused on his welfare to work programs and how Democrats lost big in the 1994 Mid-Term elections because of the Republicans’ Contract with America.
As The Tennessee Star reported this week, parents of students in the Williamson County School System who worry that school officials politicize their child’s social studies curriculum have a right to view the material if they wish.
The Star reviewed a portion of the school system’s social studies curriculum last Tuesday, with the caveat that we had to do it at the school system’s main office in Franklin and with school staff monitoring us.
We also could not take screenshots of the curriculum, which is online.
Parents have reason to worry about a left-wing bias in the school system’s curriculum.
As reported earlier this year, school system officials used taxpayer money to create a series of training videos for teachers that preached “white privilege” and America’s supposed dysfunctional history.
Former School Superintendent Mike Looney said parents were never supposed to see those videos.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
