Action Alert: Department of Education Public Hearing on New Social Studies Standards released

Friend,

To persuade the Board of Education Standards (BOES) to NOT APPROVE the new Social Studies Standards, we continue to ask community members to provide public comment on WHY these standards are inappropriate, ask HOW educators are able to inspire learning with a focus only on memorization, and show the IMPACT of having political agendas reflected throughout the curriculum. It will be essential for parents and community members to submit comments by September 16, 2022, at 2 p.m (Central). Your voice is critical.

The first Board of Education Standards' public hearing will be on September 19, 2022 at 9 a.m. in Aberdeen at the Dakota Event Center.

All those who wish to provide testimony must register to provide testimony for the upcoming Sept. 19 meeting, please email Ferne Haddock by Sept. 16, 2022, 2 p.m. (Central). In the email, provide full name, organization representing (if applicable), agenda item to speak on, and proponent or opponent status. For those wishing to testify remotely, a Zoom link will be provided. Further details are available on the board's website.

Talking Points:

A committee of 40+ educators from across South Dakota had already developed the Social Studies Standards.
Noem inserted herself into this process, dismantled the committee and rewrote the standards with a hand picked committee of only 3 people certified to be teachers in South Dakota.
Noem hired a notorious right wing conservative to "consult" on standards paying him $200,000.
One of the 3 people certified to be a teacher on the committee is now no longer backing the standards.
These standards have been heavily criticized by South Dakotan educators as they do not reflect realistic expectations for the grade levels and are based only on memorization and regurgitation of information.
The standards do not teach children how to process and evaluate the complex ideas they are expected to have memorized.
The Social Studies Standards have been transformed to fit Governor Noem's political agenda.
Politics have no place in our children's classrooms and directly affects our teacher shortage in South Dakota.

Additional Advice:
When speaking to the BOES, be respectful and to the point.

Suggested Script:

Dear Board of Education Standards. My name is ____ and my children attend _____ School District. My family and I are directly impacted by the decisions you make. I urge you not to approve the Social Studies Standards. INSERT 1-2 Talking Points. For these reasons, do not approve the Social Studies Standards. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
YOUR NAME