JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. – Wyoming State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow expressed her distaste for a Republican-criticized curriculum that proposes to teach public school children about how racism has shaped American society since the nation’s founding, calling the proposal “an alarming move toward federal overreach.”
The U.S. Department of Education’s proposed priorities for American History and Civics Education grant programs include encouraging districts to use curriculum related to author Ibram X. Kendi and the New York Times ‘1619 Project.’ The Critical Race Theory proposed curriculum has met with widespread GOP disapproval.
“This is an alarming move toward federal overreach into district curriculum and should be rebuked across party lines,” Balow said in a prepared statement Tuesday.
“The draft rule is an attempt to normalize teaching controversial and politically trendy theories about America’s history. History and civics should not be secondary to political whim. Instead, history and civics instruction should engage students in objective, non-partisan analyses of historical and current events,” Balow continued. “For good reason, public schools do not promote particular political ideologies or religions over others. This federal rule attempts to break from that practice and use taxpayer dollars to do just that.”
The proposed federal rule is open for public comment until May 19 and can be accessed here.
