The decision means the state wants largest school district the Texas Education Agency to include this type of cultural class in the new state graduation plan. HISD Superintendent Terry Grier said in a statement that in a diverse community, the district has an obligation to show students that the country and state history "includes people who look like them." Over 60 percent of HISD students are Hispanic.
Next, the Board of Education of the State of Texas agreed tentatively to solicit bids for the design of instructional materials for the four ethnic studies courses - Mexican- American studies, African American studies, American Indian and Asian American studies - that could be offered in high schools throughout the state from two years.
No mandate for districts to offer these courses. They would have to use the materials in case you choose to offer. And students would take these courses as electives.
Some oppose the measure say that local districts to develop curriculum and purchase textbooks on their own, so there is no need for state involvement. Others say that classes only more divisions between people of different origins, as there is no Irish-American or Italian-American studies course.
How should we teach history in the classroom? How should we decide what is taught and whose stories get told - and how? What are the courses and textbooks of the past and present got right and what have they got wrong about quite diverse representing the number and type of stories that make up the cultural fabric of the United States?
In this edition of the Houston business, speak with Houston Public Media reporter Laura Isensee education about what these last votes for local school districts and how cultural history is taught here in Houston.
Then we found out a couple of Houston educators who have had firsthand experience with the development and history curricula and teaching ethnic studies.
Also this time: as we do every Friday, we talk with our panel revolving around “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly “in the news this week. This week, with us Off the Kuff blogger Charles Kuffner, Texas leftist blogger Wayne Ashley and Russ Capper, founder and host of BusinessMakers Show Makers and Energy Show.
Plus: we love our food and we love our movies, so what more could you want from a festival that combines the two? We will learn about the Bayou City Food and Film Festival this weekend.
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