Group Of Texas Educators Suggests Dropping 'Heroic' When Describing Alamo Defenders

Education

Group Of Texas Educators Suggests Dropping 'Heroic' When Describing Alamo Defenders

KUT 90.5 | By Nadia Hamdan

Published September 10, 2018 at 7:01 AM CDT

An advisory committee is expected to recommend today that the Texas State Board of Education remove the word "heroic" from social studies curriculum when referring to defenders of the Alamo.

Currently, seventh-grade Texas history courses are required to cover 鈥渢he siege of the Alamo and all the heroic defenders who gave their lives there.鈥� The battle happened during Texas鈥� war for independence; a group of soldiers held the fort for days even though it was vastly outnumbered by Mexican forces.

An advisory committee tasked with condensing the state's social studies curriculum has suggested focusing only on the siege and not requiring the study of 鈥渁ll the heroic defenders who gave their lives there.鈥�

鈥淭hey said, 'heroic' is a 鈥榲alue-charged鈥� word,鈥� said Debbie Ratcliffe, executive director of the State Board of Education Support Division at the Texas Education Agency.

鈥淎s you can imagine, that鈥檚 catching a lot of attention. Most of the people contacting us are opposed to the change,鈥� she said.

A recommendation from one of the work groups provided by Debbie Ratcliff of the State Board of Education Support Division at the Texas Education Agency.

Both Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Land Commissioner George P. Bush have denounced the committee's recommendation.

Stop political correctness in our schools. Of course Texas schoolchildren should be taught that Alamo defenders were 鈥楬eroic鈥�! I fully expect the State Board of Education to agree. Contact your SBOE Member to complain. 鈦� 鈦� 鈥� Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX)

This politically correct nonsense is why I鈥檒l always fight to honor the Alamo defenders鈥� sacrifice. His letter & the defenders鈥� actions must remain at the very core of TX history teaching. This is not debatable to me. 鈥� George P. Bush (@georgepbush)

About 100 educators and historians spent months reviewing the social studies curriculum for every history class in the state from kindergarten to 12th grade. The board asked the committee to find out what could be deleted, combined and/or clarified because it has been told repeatedly that the current standards are too long.

鈥淓ducators say it鈥檚 hard to teach these classes in the time allotted,鈥� Ratcliffe said.

The State Board of Education is holding a public hearing today and is expected to have a preliminary vote Tuesday. A final decision is expected in November.