The State Board of Education voted 10-3 early Wednesday to give preliminary approval to new social studies standards for elementary school students, marking a significant milestone in a months-long revision process. The vote came amid contentious debate and saw several board members depart before the final tally.
The updated standards outline the curriculum expectations for each grade level’s social studies instruction. Throughout the public comment period, concerns were raised about the portrayal of Black Texans. Speakers urged the board to include representations that move beyond themes of slavery and civil rights struggles.
During Tuesday’s meeting, board member Keven Ellis, R-Lufkin, successfully introduced amendments to highlight notable historical figures. These included adding Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman and Native American licensed pilot born in Atlanta, Texas, in 1892, to the kindergarten curriculum, and including Phillis Wheatley, regarded as the first African American published poet, in the fifth-grade standards. These additions passed without opposition.
The board also reinstated several elements that content advisers had recommended removing or condensing for brevity. Notably, a standard emphasizing the expansion of slavery as the principal cause of the Civil War was restored, alongside references to sectionalism and states’ rights being lesser factors.
An amendment by board member Tom Maynard, R-Florence, sought to significantly reduce eighth-grade content, cutting out a section concerning Texas’ prehistoric period and how environmental factors influenced settlement. The meeting was marked by heightened tensions, especially during exchanges between Democratic and Republican members.
Republican board member Brandon Hall, R-Aledo, repeatedly questioned Democratic members about their intentions to support the overall standards if their proposed amendments were accepted, accusing them of bad faith tactics. Democratic member Staci Childs, D-Houston, expressed frustration at the line of questioning but indicated a willingness to consider voting for the standards after the amendment process concludes.
When the elementary standards vote took place shortly before 2 a.m., Democrats Tiffany Clark of DeSoto, Marisa Perez-Diaz of San Antonio, and Gustavo Reveles of El Paso voted against the measure. Childs and fellow Democrat Rebecca Bell-Metereau of San Marcos left the meeting before the vote.
Public input also spotlighted concerns regarding the standards’ emphasis on Christianity. Some board members attempted to bolster religious content, with Julie Pickren, R-Pearland, proposing an amendment to add a standard about the Wampanoag Indians' conversion to Christianity following contact with Pilgrims. Content adviser Don Frazier, director of The Texas Center at Schreiner University, acknowledged partial conversions among the tribe but noted that those converts suffered harsh treatment during subsequent conflicts, including internment and deaths from exposure and starvation. Pickren’s amendment was defeated by a 7-4 vote.
The board reconvened Wednesday morning to continue discussions on social studies standards for middle and high school students, with a final vote on the entire set scheduled for Friday.