Letter to the Editor:
Many envision our public schools to be neutral places for our young people to learn. To this end we talk about scrutiny of all standards and practices, curriculums, supplementary educational materials in classrooms and libraries, notification requirements, etc. And yet we have public charter schools which are not required to abide by most of these standards. So what results? I offer two examples.
The charter school that is opening in the old court house in Ossipee, serving GWRSD and other communities, will be using the Hillsdale Curriculum as stated on their website. Contained in this curriculum is the Hillsdale 1776 Curriculum, and the course 9th–12th: American Government and Politics. Within this course's 9 units there are 53 uses of the word progressivism and 7 uses of conservatism. This is a beginning indicator of the balance, or lack of balance, presented in the material. This is certainly not a neutral starting point. Now compare the references themselves. How is conservatism described/referenced? The curriculum states; "Students do not need to spend very much time with each of the various types of conservatism." Because “The.. consensus about conservatism sought to decrease the size of government... to return to a proper understanding of American Constitutionalism."
So words like 'consensus', 'proper understanding' and "American Constitutionalism" are used relative to conservatism.
How is progressivism described/referenced? "Key to the lessons students should come to understand how Progressivism, while intended to bring progress and improvement, was actually a rejection of the American founding, beginning with and especially concerning philosophical and moral principles on which it was based." "These changes in governing have been a challenge to the Constitutional order.... progressivism challenged the very principle on which the order was based ... was rejection of the principles of the Declaration of Independence."
So words like "rejection", rejection of "moral principles", "challenged principles", and challenged 'order', are used relative to progressivism.
This is hardly a balanced presentation of either Conservatism or Progressivism. And it isn’t a balanced avenue of inquiry for teaching students how to determine the 'truth' by teaching them critical thinking skills — which is what this charter school says it does. This is one small example of the bent of this curriculum. There are many other examples. This curriculum is obviously designed to support one viewpoint and deride the other. This is not what classical education is about - another thing this school says they focus on. Quite obviously if this curriculum was used in a traditional public school there would be an outcry objecting to its political slant.Then there is the teacher training accompanying the curriculum. The school and its curriculum supposedly uses the Socratic Method with teachers guiding the students to their own truth. However, stated in the teacher training introduction: “Hillsdale College’s K-12 ‘patriotic’ curriculum means never having to apologize for — or fix — America’s problems.” What if ‘a problem’ is part of seeking the truth for a student? What if the truth the student comes to — is we need to apologize for a problem? This training statement belies what they say they are about — facilitating their students coming to their own truth.
Again, traditional public schools curriculums are regularly reviewed and updated. There is also oversight from the state and other sources depending upon funding. And there are parents and citizens providing feedback and input. You’ve seen this in action if you have been paying attention to the public comments made at school board meetings; the hundreds of records requests submitted by community members to the GWRSD; and/or read the parent commentary online and in letters to the editors.
This review and feedback will not take place for the public charter school. Yet, if a school states it is based on a 'classical education' it should focus on teaching students how to think for themselves. This curriculum does not do this -- even though all out facing documents suggest they do. All you have to do is review the curriculum and the pedagogy associated with it to determine this.
Karen Burnett-Kurie
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