Florida’s new social studies standards prompt Christian ideology concerns

AXIOS Miami | By Sommer Brugal | May 30, 2024

A quiet update to Florida’s sixth grade social studies standards requires that students learn about the contributions of ancient Jewish civilizations in addition to the ancient Greeks and Romans.

Why it matters: Some educators say the Board of Education’s inclusion of ancient Jewish teachings is the latest example of the state pushing for more Christian and conservative ideals to be taught in the classroom.

• The standard, which was approved without board discussion yesterday, requires students to “examine [the] rule of law in the ancient world and its influence on the United States’ constitutional republic.”
• Stephana Ferrell, founder of Florida Freedom to Read Project, noted there was little information about the update, and questioned if it would resemble teacher trainings that suggest Christian religious morality was essential to crafting the Constitution.

The big picture: The state’s education department has been criticized in recent years for pushing Judeo-Christian ideas in public schools, due in part to its ties to conservative Christian establishments such as Hillsdale College and PragerU.

• In 2022, teachers raised concerns that the new civics training program Ferrell cited was infused with a Christian and conservative ideology, per the Miami Herald.

Of note: The new standards also included additional requirements about Asian American and Pacific Islander history and 9/11 Heroes’ Day.

Between the lines: About a dozen educators and parents applauded those additions at a meeting yesterday, but criticized the board over its refusal to reverse recent changes to African American history instruction.

• Last year, the board approved standards that argued enslaved people benefited from their slavery.

What they’re saying: “The rule of law is now Judeo-Christian values” when it comes to the state’s civics standards, Crystal Etienne, a Miami-Dade public schools middle school civics teacher, told board members.

• “We need to make sure we don’t have conservatives only creating these standards,” she added.

The other side: Chairman Ben Gibson did not respond to Axios’ request for comment. But Rep. Randy Fine (R-Palm Bay) told Action News Jax that Judeo-Christian values “shouldn’t be objectionable.”

• “We don’t change our history because liberals don’t like it,” he told the outlet.

State of play: The update to Florida’s standards came the day after Louisiana lawmakers approved a bill that, if signed by the governor, would require the Ten Commandments be displayed in all schools and colleges that receive public funding.

• Other states, including Texas, Utah and South Carolina, unsuccessfully attempted to pass similar legislation.

Bottom line: Nancy Lawther, Florida PTA legislation committee chair, isn’t alarmed by the references, and said the board’s intent will become clear when instructional materials and teacher trainings are approved.

• “What would be alarming would be either the deliberate exclusion of additional influences on the founders, or, worse, the willing distortion of instructional materials or teacher guides to reflect the ahistorical notion of a religiously determined American origin,” she said.