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Apple Valley Academic Standards Hearing
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Apple Valley Standards Hearing

Comments Included:

• One woman said the committee was not looking at the whole child. She said, “I don’t care about the content. It’s wrong. It’s Communist. It’s teaching only what the government wants children to know.” It’s concept over theory. “I give you an F.”

• Senior at Central High: You need to put in curriculum for all students. There needs to be truth in history – not just one person’s view of history. We need to critically think, not memorize. Students need to “See how they feel inside.”

• Senior from St. Paul: Students need to learn about the “virtual genocide of American Indians.” The “Black Panthers were not a bad thing.” It’s ridiculous to say that Columbus discovered America. He can’t discover something the Indians already know about. We need members of color on the committee.
  -  Yecke responded that there were people of color on the committee.
  -  “How many?
  -  Yecke – “We didn’t count.”

• Beth Potter:There are a lot of common themes being expressed to the committee, but those of us testifying truly don’t know each other. There is an absence of debate skills. As they are, these standards are “unpatriotic”.

• We did not like the results of the Profile of Learning. We need a massive overhaul. This is our future. Businesses need knowledgeable workers.

• Parent: For the last Profile of Learning, no hearings were held. These committee standards are good.

• Pat Bowers: We talk about facts. Facts are important but we need stories too. Kids need to know and compare stories. I fear that students will hate social studies if it is based on too many facts and not enough social studies.

• Teacher: The standards focus too much on consumerism. There is no mention of recycling. Reagan did not have a connection with the fall of communism. There is too much of an emphasis on the Declaration of Independence. Facts are important but what you do with the facts distinguishes an educated from a noneducated person.

• Ken Williams: 26 year chair of social studies for a district. There is only 1 native American standard and nothing about the Trail of Tears or Reservations. The standards focus only on big issues – what about other subjects like psychology? It will cost millions to implement this system. “If these standards are adopted, voter registration among youth will stop.”

• Michael Boucher (teacher from Mpls):  

  "The History standards are not only rife with factual errors and egregious, racist deletions but there is an obvious social and political agenda of accentuating states rights over civil rights and the individual over the common good. There is little in the civics standards that are “crucial.” Instead, they are a repetitive mish mash of Natural Rights philosophy and Soviet –style jingoism...The American History standards continue in delivering an Orwellian, narrow, whitewash that gives no room for analysis, debate or truly democratic ideals."

• Ann Couhn (teacher): The emphasis on Eurocentric standards will increase the achievement gap between white and black. “Instead of memorizing the constitution, it would be better to have kids read it and them tell them that it gave voting rights only to white males with property. Tell them that Thomas Jefferson, the one who wrote ‘Life, Liberty and Happiness’ owned slaves. Tell them we are stealing the Native American’s land.”

• Don (parent): The teachers have told me this is not workable. We need more local district control.

• Dr. Susan Diem (3 daughters in public school): Thank you for including the theory of evolution and excluding creationism. Evolution is science and compares to gravity. Creationism should be reserved for comparative religion or philosophy classes. The social studies standards are too high, there are too many, and there is not written curriculum to fit them.

• Phil Dennison (former Prof at St. Cloud:  Recognized the historic leadership this state has had and appreciates careful thought. He did wonder if these standards were researched enough and is concerned that like NCLB, these standards are just thrown together. It’s also important to recognize that “much of human tradition takes place apart from white men. A liberal education recognizes that one’s culture is just an option.”  “If the standards are adopted, teachers should work around them.”

• “Let the parents teach what they believe and the schools teach science.”

• As a psychologist and a therapist, I know that children can learn and memorize a lot when they are young. That is why they can learn multiple languages easily. However, young children are impressionable and have a difficult discerning and analyzing. I like the philosophical basis of country in our standards

• Business woman: I need employees with broad experience and global knowledge. They need analysis and application skills. These standards lack this. “I am concerned that these standards will not meet my business’ needs” A workforce educated under these standards would hurt my business.

• Dan Schlick: Will these standards help or hurt business? They lack flexibility and emphasis on analytical thought. They’ll create “temporary assembly workers”. 

• Don Elsenheimer: Need to talk about the dual role of being a citizen and a human being. The social studies standards are too religious. What’s the difference between them and Sunday School? Sunday School is optional.

• Christina Arns: (Burnsville social studies) We are excited that MN is looking at new standards, but are concerned that they might be thrown together at the last minute. It is going to cost a lot of money.

• Sandy Wollschlager: (Cannon Falls school board member): Her children enjoy school, and are energized by it. The new standards prohibit creativity. Her children favorite science teacher encourages kids to come up with their own elements on the periodic table. How many elements are there? It depends.

• Beth Wickfield (teacher):  I strongly object to these standards. There are way too many. They are not age appropriate. The content is not developmentally appropriate. It is outrageous to pass them as written. I am shocked by the notion that all students must pass these standards. There is no inquiry. These standards must be completely revisited and revised.

• MN PTA: Supports local school boards and education. The time is inadequate. VA standards were simply submitted for MN. 

• Lisa Hannon (principal): She was very polite, asking that the committee use available resources talking about what is developmentally appropriate.

• Evolution is the religion of District 196. They will hear of nothing else. The theory of evolution does not compare with that of gravity as previously stated.

• Lanae Anderson (Science teacher): Many students in our district are in poverty. The best way to enhance student learning is inquiry. “To revert back to sheer total knowledge is very difficult”. If the government wants to do something important they should shut down for three days and come to the schools. See what it is really like.

• The science standards should be based on the national standards.

• The public did not like the Profile. Free market v. limited resources. Use of human along with capitol resources dehumanizes humans. Biased themes about environment.

• Dr. Spiess: He was absent from the room (out talking with an activist), yet the Commissioner allowed him to speak later in the evening. She favorably recognized him, saying she was glad to see him. He spent his time talking about MPAPSS and urged the Commissioner to "reject the standards in any form". (Does he not want social studies standards at all?)

• Deb Pitton: Bloom’s taxonomy

• Retired teacher: Please don’t forget history and nature of science. Discovery is important and yet hard to test.

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