Illinois should drop history classes to “end the miseducation” of students, said State Rep. LaShawn K. Ford at a news conference Sunday. He was joined by education and political leaders.
Chief Black Hawk
In a press release, Ford said schools should devote more attention to civics until a new history curriculum can be developed that focuses more on the contributions of minorities and women.
When I was in Illinois schools in the ’50s and ’60s, civil rights were current events, not history. The only thing taught about Native Americans was a very brief mention of the Black Hawk War, because Abraham Lincoln fought in it. Women? Jane Addams got a mention.
California State University will require an ethnic studies or social justice course for graduation, starting in 2023-24. The “social justice” part is too broad, some faculty members argue. A bill in the Legislature would mandate that only courses on African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans or Native Americans would count.