Changes

==Curriculum revision controversy==

==Curriculum revision controversy==

In 2010, Stuntz, a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], spoke out against revisions in the social studies curricula approved by the Texas State Board of Education, changes which require the inclusion of [[conservative]] topics in public school instruction. For instance, [[Thomas Jefferson]]'s name must be restored to a list of [[Enlightenment]] thinkers. There must be emphasis on the [[Fifth Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]] regarding property rights. Students must be taught that new documents, the Venona project, verify [[U.S. Senator]] [[Joe McCarthy]]'s suspicions of [[communist]] infiltration of the [[U.S. government]] during the post-[[World War II]] era. Stuntz told ''The Amarillo Globe-News'' that the SBOE is "micromanaging. They don't know what they're doing."<ref name=agn>{{cite web|url=http://amarillo.com/stories/051810/new_news1.shtml|author=Brenda Bernet|title=Rewriting the history books: Educators reflect on state's curriculum changes|date=May 18, 2010|publisher=''The Amarillo Globe-News''|accessdate=November 14, 2010}}</ref>​

In 2010, Stuntz, a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], spoke out against revisions in the social studies curricula approved by the Texas State Board of Education, changes which require the inclusion of [[conservative]] topics in public school instruction. For instance, [[Thomas Jefferson]]'s name must be restored to a list of [[Enlightenment]] thinkers. There must be emphasis on the [[Fifth Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]] regarding property rights. Students must be taught that new documents, the Venona project, verify [[U.S. Senator]] [[Joe McCarthy]]'s suspicions of [[communist]] infiltration of the [[U.S. government]] during the post-[[World War II]] era. Stuntz told ''The Amarillo Globe-News'' that the SBOE is "micromanaging. They don't know what they're doing."<ref name=agn>{{cite web|url=http://amarillo.com/stories/051810/new_news1.shtml|author=Brenda Bernet|title=Rewriting the history books: Educators reflect on state's curriculum changes|date=May 18, 2010|publisher=''The Amarillo Globe-News''|accessdate=November 14, 2010; no longer accessible on-line}}</ref>​

 

Along with professorial colleagues, Stuntz signed a petition requesting that the SBOE delay consideration of the changes so that curriculum specialists could intervene. The changes do not require memorization, only inclusion of previously omitted materials. Stuntz, however, predicted that the revisions would cause teachers to stress memorization of events, people, and dates, rather than guiding youngsters to think, analyze evidence, and communicate their thoughts. With memorization, Stuntz said that many students come to college with a dislike of history. Memorization, she said, "beats the imagination out of them. I have to teach them it isn't about memorizing. It's about why people did what they did. It's about analyzing evidence, what is true and what is not."<ref name=agn/>​

Along with professorial colleagues, Stuntz signed a petition requesting that the SBOE delay consideration of the changes so that curriculum specialists could intervene. The changes do not require memorization, only inclusion of previously omitted materials. Stuntz, however, predicted that the revisions would cause teachers to stress memorization of events, people, and dates, rather than guiding youngsters to think, analyze evidence, and communicate their thoughts. With memorization, Stuntz said that many students come to college with a dislike of history. Memorization, she said, "beats the imagination out of them. I have to teach them it isn't about memorizing. It's about why people did what they did. It's about analyzing evidence, what is true and what is not."<ref name=agn/>​