Keep Social Studies in Accountability

Reject Supt. Rex’s proposal to eliminate Social Studies

Jane Eason, jeason@richlandone.org   803-231-6868

September 6, 2007

Thomas Jefferson said, “In matters of style, swim with the current, in matters of principal stand like a rock.”

Ladies and gentlemen, I stand before you as a rock, steadfast in the belief that social studies must be taught, and must be valued in South Carolina public schools.

Who Am I and Why Am I here?

I am Jane Eason, social studies educator for 33 years.  I am president elect of the South Carolina Council for the Social Studies, an organization of approximately 1200 mostly South Carolina social studies teachers. 

Why Am I here?

SDE Supt. Rex has proposed to eliminate social studies from our state’s accountability system, more specifically from PACT in grades 3 – 8.  I supported Dr. Rex, campaigned for him and still have great faith in his ability to lead the state in education.  However I adamantly disagree with his proposal regarding the elimination of social studies.

Why would he propose to eliminate social studies? 

1. He said he is hearing we test too much.  Let me address that statement with fact. The social studies PACT test is given once a year in May. It is not timed but generally takes about 60 – 75 minutes for students to complete.  That is 75 minutes of a 180 day schedule.   That is not too much testing.  The realization of too much testing is coming from school districts who are searching for diagnostic information to guide instruction and to assist in finding student deficiencies.  PACT does not offer diagnostic data except in four general categories, Below Basic, Basic, Proficient and Advanced.  What PACT does give teachers is a general idea of content knowledge. 

2. Supt. Rex is also drawing from the federal NCLB, citing the fact that NCLB does not require social studies testing.  I would like to address this issue.  He is correct in that we were not included in NCLB, which was a devasting blow to the content.  It is the unintended consequence of NCLB or the narrowing of the curriculum.  I would like to remind the audience that NCLB was passed as minimum standards.  Thanks goodness our legislators were insightful enough to pass the EAA in 1998 which mandated we test the four content areas, ELA, math, Science and ss in grades 3 -8.  Our state is in the forefront in valuing social studies.  We do not want the minimum requirements which will get us minimum results. We have a lot of catching up in education; we can’t fall back to the minimum.  Our students deserve more from us.

The EAA calls for testing in the four areas please keep it that way.  Why? Core content areas that are tested are valued.  And the converse is true; core areas that are not tested are not valued and are no longer core areas. 

Why does it matter and what do we teach in social studies?  It matters to generations of South Carolina children.  Please look around the room.  We are all finished with our formal education.  We learned about the economy, geography, history and government.  I am in my 34^th  year, my career is almost over, I am not here for personal reasons, or to save my job.  I am here because I care about the fate of South Carolina children.  They must grow up in a world knowing about cultures, knowing about the rights and responsibilities of citizens, knowing about governments and knowing about democracy. Yes, democracy.  If our children are not taught the values of democracy, they could find themselves in a world that is not democratic. 

In my school district we have a partnership (a federal grant) with a school district in Kaluga Russia.  Students at Dreher High School, at Keenan High School and all of Richland One high schools will have four video conferences a year with Russian students.  They will have email penpals.  Think about a minute, if you are a product of the Cold War like most of us are, that is amazing.  Fourteen of our teachers have been in the classrooms and homes of the Russian teachers.  Also, we have hosted the Russian teachers here in Columbia.  This past April, they were recognized and received a standing ovation on the floor of the House of Representatives.  It brought tears to my eyes.  But to the Russian teaches it was a life changing event.  Because, they have lived in a world where individual citizens were not valued in government.  They were amazed at being able to walk into these buildings while government was at work.  They know the value of a citizen and they realize we live in the greatest country in the world.  

Please do not jeopardy the education of generations of South Carolina children.  Please make sure they are taught social studies and that they have the skills to be successful in a global society.  At this minute, children sitting in a classroom in Mrs. Jones’s first grade class at Palmetto Bays Elem in Horry County are not preparing to compete against children from Columbia, Rock Hill or Savannah, they will be competing against children from Guilin China, Cochin India and Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, to name a few.  Our children are depending on you, this legislative body, to keep social studies in the state’s accountability system as the EAA intended almost ten years ago.

In January, as you walk on the House floor you have an awesome responsibility to make legislation that will impact the lives of children forever.  I trust you will do what is best for our children and grandchildren. 

Thank you and Godspeed!

Please contact me if you need additional information.

Jane Eason, jeason@richlandone.org    Office number 803-231-6868