Nearly three years ago, the American Birthright Standards were the hottest topic in the Colorado education landscape as the social studies revisions were being reviewed. Districts in their authorized autonomy, were considering whether or not to adopt a certain curriculum and the state was ablaze, not in the mile-high way typically associated with Colorado.
Not surprisingly, we are currently seeing a national scale effort to strip public education funding, the erasure of communities which have contributed to the foundation of the United States and a lack of accountability for Honest, Inclusive, Comprehensive education.
Great education Colorado was already privy to the fuel on the issue and we were preparing for the F.I.G.H.T.
This acronym was not an internally used format but rather, upon reflection, the steps we take for all of our campaign work. Read below to see when we F.I.G.H.T.; We Get it Done! Great Education Colorado has BEEN GETTING IT DONE!
Facts
We confirm the Facts which at the time were:
The Colorado State Board of Education has a standards revision cycle “reviews and revises its academic standards every six years, with about a third of the content areas being revised every two years.” Coloradoans apply to be on the standards revision committee membership. Once chosen, they meet, develop recommendations, present, hear feedback from the community and update the recommendations edits.
Another notable fact contributing to the context of this particular revision cycle include the CHANGE to the ORIGINAL recommendations by the committee submitted by fewer than 10 people who had voiced their concerns. Prior to the revision cycle beginning in 2019, a new law called House Bill 19-1192 was passed in Colorado that required Social Studies Classes in K-12 classrooms in the state include the histories and contributions of people of color and LGBTQ+ communities. In November of 2021, the revised standards were presented to the State Board of Education.
Identify
Reach out to and Identify Partners:
Great Education Colorado has a long standing reputation in the education community and put out the bat call to huddle with our partners who would undoubtedly be willing to support our plans. As it would turn out, we were for many at the grassroots level, the first to amplify the daunting reality that the attack on honest, inclusive, comprehensive education was truly gaining momentum in Colorado. Commitment from the partners across the state: A Queer Endeavor, One Colorado, Out Boulder, Inside Out Youth Services, and the Colorado Education Association, all contributed to the grassroots campaign developed to get the word out about the process, push back and intended goals.
Grassroots
Role out a strong Grassroots effort: *Presentations, *actions, a video campaign with support from educators, staff and partners — the work we did was to ensure our networks had the facts, could identity our partners (and the opposition), and make it clear what their efforts could entail. We also shared with almost 2000 people who signed our action and gave amazing testimonials, information about our upcoming meetings and when they could testify in person. When the time was right, we also submitted our 20 pages of testimonials to the State Board. This way it was undeniable to avoid the comments of their constituents.
*the presentation and action is no longer live
Highlight
We prioritized and Highlighted the status of the effort: Using our Advocates Network meetings, newsletter and social media posts aligned to educate followers what changes were being made, who was speaking out in favor of the ORIGINAL revisions and highlighting the comments from our online actions. The highlights included comments from educators, parents and concerned citizens.
“I have lost students to suicide because they thought no one cared about them or their identity. Teaching about ALL people is one of the best ways to support learners. Social studies standards should reflect the truth about humans, brave conversations, and academic integrity not political or religious agendas. Lastly, our teachers deserve to use their expertise confidently and without fear.”
“The truth can be difficult to hear, but nothing changes unless we speak it and learn from it. History should be thorough and complete without filtering out facts that some are uncomfortable with. Kids are far more able to reflect and learn from the past than they are being given credit for.”
“I am white mom to a white daughter. I want my daughter to begin learning truth and acceptance and humility from an early age. I’m only now beginning to understand accurate history as an adult. I don’t want her to have to unlearn things. I want her education to be accurate, fair, and equitable, along with students of all races and backgrounds.”
Thank
The F.I.G.H.T. was not complete without recognizing the work everyone was contributing including Board Members Escarcega, McClellan, Esser, and Schroeder for voting in favor of inclusive, honest, and comprehensive standards for all Colorado students.
Extra info
See the transcript below of the Board Meeting explaining why the birthright standards were rejected by the board.
The portion of the board meeting that this is discussed in starts at 7:15:38 https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeboard/sbe20221012
7:19:01 Joyce Rankin moved to adopt the American Birthright standards instead of the revised standards that came out of the 1192 committee,
- 7:33:56 Steve Durham moved to adopt the American Birthright standards instead of the revised standards that came out of the 1192 committee, Because he said the political makeup of the 1192 committee was partisan. He suggested that the American Birthright standards were non-partisan (which is blatantly not true).
- 7:33:56 He suggests that the state doesn’t need standards
7:35:32 – Escarcega makes the following point
- The media literacy standards did not change much by 1192 commission – they just added in the statute
- The state received a D on social studies standards, we are one of the few states that doesn’t mandate a certain curricula – that is why we got that score. (we don’t have specific enough standards)
- 7:36:43 – she mentions that the political affiliation of the group that created American birthright standards (ABS) is specifically influenced by conservative values, and is therefore partisan, explicitly. Instead of implicitly, as Durham argued.
- ABS Does not promote any:
- “pedagogy that claims to support diversity, equity and inclusion or social justice.”
- Project based learning, inquiry based learning
- Escarcega shares that she has not heard this desire to give up “Project based learning, inquiry based learning” and does not believe that is inline with the majority of citizens desires
- ABS Does not promote any:
- 7:32:22 – They believe that public schools should not be funded by the federal government. Escarcega argues she has not heard from community that they don’t want free/reduced lunch or title funds. These are necessary for schools to function
- 7:39:00 – “these standards are too extreme for the state of Colorado, and I will be a no vote”
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7:45:23 – Chairwoman Schroder asks “did Fordham brought this forward, as a set of standards? Do they support these standards” – and gets an answer of “ not that I am aware of”
“there are a couple ways we might be dishonest to kids. When we are educating them. And sometimes it what we say and write. And sometimes is what we don’t include. I see this proposal kind of like swiss cheese, in that its not all bad but its full of holes. And the suggestion to start with this and then fill it with the things we think are important, I don’t think is the way to go considering we already have this. Right?”
Chairwoman Schroder rejected that idea, and said that the American Birthright standards do not meet CDE’s social studies standards.
7:48:25 – Duham says “I admit to being biased, my politics are well known” “what should local school boards, who have the sole and complete authority to set curriculum do? And my home is that they will set a curriculum that they find to be fair and balanced, because what we have here [1192 committee] does not fit that mode.”