After emailing out a link to this set of resources showing concerns with the new AP U.S. History class (http://www.educationviews.org/huge-concerns-ap-u-s-history-resource-links/), I received the following email from Ammi Orton. With permission, I’m posting it here. Bolding is mine.
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It is not just AP U.S. History, I think that all the Utah public school’s U.S. History classes are changing based on recent information I received. I have a daughter enrolled with Mountain Heights Academy. They allow all their Juniors and Seniors, if desired, to take online courses directly through Weber State. This year my daughter was enrolled to take Hist. 1700- American Civilizations. This class is an overview of all of American History from European exploration, colonization and settlement, to the present. This class was supposed to count in place of her high school U.S. History class and for her American Institutions credit in college.
Here is the email I got from her counselor last week-
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Hello students and parents,
We have just been informed today that USOE will no longer count HIST 1700 for the 1.0 US History requirement for high school graduation. They will accept HIST 2710 instead.
Will you please let me know ASAP if you have registered for HIST 1700 for fall semester at WSU? We will need to see if we can get you into 2710 instead. You may still take 1700, but it would count for elective credit, and not US History.
I apologize for the inconvenience, but am glad that we are finding out now, and not after you have already taken the course!!
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We looked into it and found many interesting issues. History 2710 is History of the U.S. since 1877. This is the course that the Utah State Office of Education wants us to take in place of what they used to count. By taking just this course, many things will be left out considering that leaves out the founding of our great nation, the establishment of the constitution, and many things that make the United States unique and help us understand our freedom.
This makes me think that many things will be missing from here on out in all high school history classes. I am not a history teacher, but it would be interesting to see what instructions start coming to them on what to teach and NOT to teach.
What is crazy is even Weber State does not see History 2710 as good enough to count for the American Institutions credit and if you take it, you also have to take History 2700- History of the U.S. to 1877 also. Yes 2 classes are required in college instead of just 1 Hist 1700. It appears that even they want you to have a better idea of the whole picture. I know the requirement is the same at Snow College as well, you have to take both.
| HIST 2700 History of the U.S. to 1877 (3) AND HIST 2710 History of the U.S. since 1877 (3) |
Needless to say, we dropped the class and picked up a different General Ed. We will have to rethink the whole thing. She didn’t want to take more college classes right now. To graduate she will still have to take U.S. History in High school and the college class we will probably have her do is POLS 1100. It will count for the required US Government & Citizenship in high school, and it meets the AI requirement in college, still killing 2 birds with one stone. Good thing we have lots of books and study the founding of our country and early American History already. The LEMI- Key of Liberty and Sword of Freedom classes are looking better and better to give a foundation of what is going to be intentionally left out in the public school system now. What a loss!
Ammi Orton
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Oak: I find it interesting that the USOE is taking this action. Invite a board member to this page and ask them to dig into this. It would be tragic to further lose sight of our nation’s founding.
There is only one answer for truly concerned parents. GET YOUR CHILDREN OUT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Our public education system has been infitrated by progressives that have an agenda of global indoctrination not education. What we are seeing today is the result of years of this indoctrination. Home school is really the only answer at this point and eventually the progressives will destroy home school if we don’t stand diligent and aware. We need to come up with alternatives and competitors to organizations like the College Board.
Well said, Karen
I have a child at a charter school (Jr. High/High School). The school has been great to work with however I have been concerned about their history program. The school has several teachers/administrators from a middle eastern country and may be part of a larger group of charters in the US. I don’t know if that has influenced things and I don’t have a problem with the ethnicity of those from elsewhere. However last year my daughter was taught World History – there was a big emphasis on things that I had never heard before. This year she is being taught Utah History. I’m hopeful that someday they will teach US History and not just from 1877 on.
Question for anyone out there who understands this better than I do. Everyone this year seems to be using a new program called ‘Canvas’ to communicate between students, teachers and parents and grades and such are being logged on this system. The question is, is it safe? Where is it being stored and who has access to it? I hesitate to ask the school as most times when I ask questions of this nature, they either don’t know or pretend that they do. Either way, I’m always assured that all is well and I can go back to sleep without worry. I lack certain research skills. Can someone tell me what you can find out about this program? Thanks for your help!