Sept 22, 2014

For Immediate Release

I was truly surprised by the reaction of so many people regarding the AP
U.S. History curriculum (APUSH). I must not have explained myself clearly. I
thought everyone, or at least everyone involved in education understood the
huge debate and controversy surrounding the new APUSH. To be accused of
censorship? Seriously? That is just ridiculous. I am advocating for just the
opposite. So, please let me start at the beginning.
APUSH is new. This is important to state because some may not know it is
NEW. It came into existence quite recently under dubious and secretive
circumstances (just like the Common Core). If fully implemented, APUSH
would greatly modify and standardize the teaching of US History in every
high school in America.
I presented a resolution to Opt-Out of Common Core and PARCC Testing and
to my dismay it was tabled in favor of a deeper look. APUSH fits right into
Common Core and a one size fits all curriculum. One of the main characters
behind the Common Core, David Coleman, is the president and chief
executive of the College Board.
APUSH rejects the history that has been taught in the country for
generations. It has an emphasis on race, gender, class, ethnicity, grievance
and American-bashing while simultaneously omitting the most basic
structural and philosophical elements considered essential to the
understanding of American History for generations. Let me give you some
examples of who is omitted: Jefferson, Adams, Madison, Franklin with not
even a mention of Martin Luther King, Jr. who was on the forefront of the
civil rights movement. It ignores lessons on the Boston Tea Party,
Lexington, Jeffersons First Inaugural Address, Lincolns Gettysburg Address
and the list continues

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APUSH is untested and unresearched! It has been left up to the school
districts to do the research and that is merely what I am suggesting. There
needs to be a debate on the merits of rejecting current history curriculum
before an examination on the new curriculum begins. Many community
members have brought to my attentions their concerns, as a Board Member,
it is my duty to bring the following concerns to the forefront:
Parents who have reviewed APUSH have been very unhappy with what their
children will be taught and have lost trust in the experts. Please note: This
is NOT a committee to review teachers, this is NOT about teachers, it is
about curriculum review, which is a boards responsibility.
Balance and respect for traditional scholarship is NOT censorship. Again we
believe that exposure to the curriculum itself, not inflammatory rhetoric; will
convince most parents that a review committee is a very good idea. I
humbly ask our Jeffco history teachers to review their philosophical position
on the APUSH. I think the majority will be surprised to find they agree. I
invite them to join us while we investigate this curriculum, together.
Here is some perspective: The Texas State Board of Education has voted to
set aside the new AP U.S. History Framework in favor of its own state-
mandated U.S. history curriculum. If there is no concern with the curriculum
then I would ask why so much resistance? No one is talking about getting rid
of AP U.S. History. I am just asking for us to take a deeper look. Lets weigh
this curriculum against the best interests of our students and see where we
land.
Last, when it comes to history I believe all children graduating from an
American school should know 3 things: American Exceptionalism, an
understanding of US History, and know the Constitution.
Regards,

Julie Williams
Jeffco Board of Education
303 829.2535

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