Rapid City was host to the state Board of Education Standards meeting Friday, the third of four meetings discussing new proposed social studies standards. Dozens of educators, administrators and parents made their voices heard in person, with hundreds of public comments submitted online.
The turbulent, hours-long meeting was held at the Rushmore Hotel in downtown Rapid City.
In a closing report, Vera Tipton with the state Department of Education confirmed what’s been apparent for some time - the proposed social study standards remain broadly unpopular with those who would be charged with teaching them.
Tipton said in the latest round comments, 940 people opposed the standards, compared to 117 who supported them.
"It is clear from the public comments received thus far there is a strong interest in ensuring South Dakota students have the opportunity to learn about history, economics, geography, civics, and South Dakota and Native American history,” Tipton said.
That majority opinion includes Wade Pogany, executive director of the Associated School Boards of South Dakota. After speaking with members, he advocated starting the standards writing process over.
“These are reasonable South Dakotans. These are farmers and ranchers, these are businesspeople, these are parents – and they applied the test of common sense to this, and they said this isn’t right," Pogany said. "You’ve heard overwhelming opposition from South Dakota educators, teachers and administrators who are professionals in education in our state, who have raised real and legitimate concerns. Passing the social studies standards in their current form would be a disaster.”
Parents and teachers have voiced concern with steep learning curves for elementary students, questionable age-appropriateness of topics, a heavy focus on memorization, and broad exclusion of subjects included in the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings.
Jamie Clapham with the South Dakota Parent Teacher Association offered a demonstration of age-appropriateness.
“One of the proposed first-grade standards is to recite the Preamble to the Constitution," Clapham said. "Were you aware the Preamble is written at a college graduate-level? These standards ask our first-grade students to memorize something they can’t actually comprehend and is written at a level fifteen years above their appropriate reading level. All the while we know only half of them are proficient at a first-grade reading level. How is this educationally appropriate?”
Proponent testimony described the standards as "patriotic." Some questioned the necessity of including Native American history, and others spoke out against the state teachers union.
The final standards hearing will be held April 17 in Pierre.