Citizen Concerns from Social Studies Folks

Area educators unhappy with state


Dr. Tony Bennett and the Indiana Department of Education have failed social studies. In the rush to reform K-12 social studies education, the IDOE is harming students and teachers. The proposed changes to the way Indiana social studies teachers receive and renew their licenses will mean that excellent secondary social studies teachers will lose their jobs. This is not the way to reform K-12 education.

Currently, statistics show a 50 percent turnover rate for first-year teachers within the first five years in public schools. The proposed changes will only continue to increase the numbers of highly qualified educators leaving the profession.

In addition to changes in licensure, the IDOE implemented an inferior ISTEP+ social studies test this past spring and published the results without consideration of the test as a first-year pilot program that may have contained flaws imbedded in the questions. Because of the poor quality of the test, we do not know if 40 percent of the students failed the test or if the test failed 100 percent of our students. The test is harming the very students the reform efforts are supposed to be helping.
Finally, the IDOE refuses to communicate with schools about the changes in testing and licensure. This failure to communicate is demoralizing public education. Is the goal of K-12 educational reform to improve public education or destroy it?

We must hold Dr. Bennett and the IDOE accountable for the damage being done to our schools.

— Chris McGrew, president, Indiana Council for the Social Studies, Fort Wayne; and Todd M. Read, board member,Indiana Council for the Social Studies Teacher, Clarksville Community School Corp.