Donald Trump only wanted to prevent teaching the parts of history he didn’t like, but in response to the federal government’s call to resume high-stakes testing, New York State may cancel history altogether this June. Covfefe!
I have been reluctant to criticize the new Biden administration because its initiatives on immigration, the environment, racial justice, and the economy are much needed and worthy of support. But the decision to resume annual high-stakes testing by the U.S. Department of Education during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is a serious misstep. Last year the requirement to administer state exams was waived because most U.S. schools were shut down. This year there will be no “blanket waiver” and states and school districts must apply for and be approved to be exempt from the testing requirement.
What the hell will they test? We already know that because of the COVID-19 pandemic education for millions of students has been interrupted. Schools have been closed off and on across the country for a year and online learning has been erratic at best. I visit New York City Zoom classes and attendance is way down. In high schools there are “ghost students” who have completely disappeared and may never return. With all the problems schools and communities have to address, why make high-stakes testing a national priority?
It is hard to describe the proposed New York State response to the Department of Education testing mandate. Puzzling? Irresponsible? Ridiculous? In March the New York State Board of Regents, the governing body for state schools, will discuss a proposal to give high school exit exams in Math, English and Science, but not count them as a graduation requirement and to “cancel any Regents Exam that is not required by USDE to be held,” meaning United States and World history.
Social Studies teacher organizations responded in outrage calling the plan "educational malpractice." The Long Island Council the Social Studies issued a statement demanding that if there is testing, social studies must be tested. The academic skills students learn in history and civics, including critical thinking and identifying bias, "are more important than ever to a democratic society seeking to ensure the growth of an informed citizenry." And unfortunately, as we know, in the testing universe, what isn’t tested isn’t valued and isn’t going to be taught.
Ironically, at the same time that New York State plans to cancel history, educational groups are demanding an increased focus on history and civics, in schools especially after unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 election was stolen and following the January 6 assault on the United States Capitol. According to the group Educating for American Democracy, “Civics and history education has eroded in the U.S. over the past fifty years . . . Dangerously low proportions of the public understand and trust our democratic institutions. Majorities are functionally illiterate on our constitutional principles and forms. The relative neglect of civic education in the past half-century — a period of wrenching change — is one important cause of our civic and political dysfunction.”
If it is safe and legitimate to test student performance in English, math and science after over a year of interrupted education and poor attendance, and I am not convinced it is either safe or legitimate, then it is safe and legitimate to test their understanding of United States history and government and the history of the modern world.
After a year in which Donald Trump tried to undermine confidence in American democratic institution and his allies attacked the Capitol and tried to overturn an election, after four years of climate change denial and ignoring the impact of the Industrial Revolution on human civilization, history is probably the most important subject to teach, and if absolutely necessary, to test.
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