State Education Committee Under Fire for Alamo Curriculum Proposal

After recommending the removal of the word “heroic” from the seventh-grade history curriculum about the Alamo, a Texas education board committee has backed off its initial proposal as a result of public outcry. The recommendation included the removal of a letter by William B. Travis as well as references to Alamo defenders as heroes.

Over the past few months, the board had been working to streamline the standards for the social studies curriculum, aiming at reducing the teachers’ instructional time. The stated goal was to allow instructors to go further into depth in the courses. However, over 60 people registered to testify in front of the board on Tuesday, September 11, wishing to express their concerns on the proposed changes. Their issues centered around revisions to the curriculum specific to the Alamo, the civil rights movement, references to Judeo-Christianity in U.S. history, and slavery as a part of our past. The recommendations for change were submitted in April, and the board took up public review during its September meeting.

Photo: Facebook/Aron Ra

Although the public uproar prompted the committee to change their plans, the impetus to repeal or restructure their proposed revisions came after elected Texas officials got involved. Governor Greg Abbott, among others, defended the use of “heroic” on social media channels with respect to Alamo defenders.

Photo: Facebook/Native Texan

As a result of the outcry, social media support, and testimonies, preliminary votes were taken by board members on Wednesday (September 12) as well as today (September 14) after discussing the committee’s recommended changes. The final decision on the proposed amendments to the social studies curriculum will be made at the board’s next meeting in November. This will determine, going forward, how the textbooks read for this icon of state history, situated in San Antonio. The standards of this curriculum make up the framework for not only the history lessons but also the economic and government lessons that will be given to 5.4 million public school students throughout Texas.