I just received this email from a reader and I wanted to use it as a teachable moment.
It read in part…
“Can Mrs. Devos work quickly to do something with the AP History for high school seniors? There has been so much indoctrination going on that it seems we need to get rid of this curriculum as quickly as we can and I might also say replace David Coleman on the College Board.”
I share the reader’s disdain for the changes made in the AP U.S. History and World History frameworks. I also haven’t been impressed with David Coleman’s time at leading the College Board. It’s not really a topic that we address here at Truth in American Education, but I’ve addressed it at Caffeinated Thoughts. I share the reader’s frustration.
My first question would be what, exactly, do we want Secretary DeVos to do?
Based on how she followed-up the question with “it seems we need to get rid of this curriculum” does this mean some would like Secretary DeVos to do something to that end?
Fortunately federal law prohibits her from taking such action.
This question goes along with the statement that we want the feds to repeal Common Core. No, I want them to defund it. I want them to assure states that they can repeal it without penalty. I would like to see Secretary DeVos and President Trump use their bully pulpit to speak out against Common Core (and Next Generation Science Standards for that matter), but I don’t want them to tell a state they have to repeal them.
This would be federal overreach in the opposite direction and it is just as unconstitutional.
If the federal government has the power to ban curriculum or standards we don’t like like then they can do the same with curriculum and standards we do like.
So can Betsy DeVos work quickly to do something with AP History for high school seniors?
No, not really. There are two primary things we can do: 1. We can boycott AP courses and anything to do with College Board and 2. encourage our states to adopt alternatives to Advanced Placement. Also look additional things colleges will accept so your student can receive either credit or to be able to opt-out of some general education requirements when they get to school.
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