WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WAVY) – Nearly 100 people weighed in Monday on proposed revisions to how history is taught in Virginia public schools.
The governor has been pushing for changes to make the curriculum age-appropriate, and what he calls “objective and factual.”
However, critics have argued that the revisions are a watered-down version of history.
The public meeting at Jamestown Settlement was the first of six public public comment sessions on the proposed revised 2023 history and social science standards of learning.
“What I see is a lot of politically-motivated inclusions of conservatism and moralism,” said Virginia Education Association vice president Carol Bauer, who taught history for 30 years in York County Public Schools, “and it doesn’t give students and teachers the opportunity to really go into depth and think critically about the impact of where some of these decisions got made and the impact that it has on our society.”
The public hearing sessions are to get feedback about the proposal.
The Board of Education has received a lot of backlash from parents and community advocates who believe the proposed changes lack transparency and downplays the history of marginalized groups.
This is happening while the school board currently doesn’t have a superintendent. In early March, Jillian Balow resigned from her position.
The board holds its next executive meeting on March 22 and 23.
The remaining public hearing sessions are scheduled at the following dates and locations:
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
George Washington’s Mount Vernon: Rubenstein Leadership Hall at the Library
3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Piedmont Community College: Auditorium
501 College Drive, Charlottesville
Thursday, March 16, 2023
O. Winston Link & History Museum of Western Virginia: Auditorium
101 Shenandoah Ave NE, Roanoke
Monday, March 20, 2023
Southwest Higher Education Center: Rooms 103-104
1 Partnership Circle, Abingdon
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Robert Russa Moton Museum: Auditorium
900 Griffin Blvd, Farmville
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.
