SDDOE releases report detailing where 'divisive concepts' were found in its department, teachings
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Gov. Kristi Noem's office announced Monday afternoon a report it was supposed to receive from the Secretary of Education by July detailing anything promoting inherently divisive concepts in K-12 education is now publicly available.
The document is nearly 45 days late. It was due July 1 by way of one of Noem's executive order, which she signed April 5 after a bill she'd penned (House Bill 1337) "protecting elementary and secondary students from political indoctrination" was shot down by the Senate Education committee in March.
A bill similar to HB 1337 was House Bill 1012. It is now state law and covers higher education, banning mandatory college trainings and orientations based on critical race theory and other divisive concepts.
Noem's office says the report from Education Secretary Tiffany Sanderson details examples of CRT and other divisive concepts in DOE policies, guidance, websites, trainings, content standards and other materials. However, it doesn't extend to policies, materials and resources of local schools.
Sanderson herself, and other top education officials in the state, have long said critical race theory is not taught in the state, and does not appear in content standards or curriculum in K-12 schools.
“We are proactively removing Critical Race Theory before it has any opportunity to take hold in our schools,” Noem said in a statement. “We are taking action to promote America’s true and honest history, including the history and culture of our Native American tribes, without any influence of Critical Race Theory or other divisive concepts.”
What are the major changes needed?
Sanderson said of the thousands of items reviewed, a very small number were deemed "out of alignment" with the governor's executive order.
“The department is taking action to modify or discontinue those items. I am proud of the department’s work, and we will continue working to ensure that South Dakota students have the opportunity to receive a robust and honest social studies education," Sanderson in a statement.
Existing policies, resources and other materials reviewed by the DOE were largely in line with Noem’s executive order, “meaning they pave the way for an education that allows for a diversity of ideas and perspectives, empowers students to think for themselves, equips students with knowledge to understand the world around them, and is free from bias,” according to the report.
More: Gov. Kristi Noem signs executive order limiting critical race theory in K-12 schools
Several areas were identified where processes could be bolstered to either ensure clarity in DOE operations or consistency in vetting resources for its programs and services. Numerous additional items unrelated to the order were found to be outdated or irrelevant and will be removed from circulation or archived.
Areas reviewed requiring no action include K-12 school accreditation, data and research, finance and management, and graduation requirements.
Public safety, Oceti Sakowin standards up for review
Two standards in current career and technical education standards need changing, because they are “potentially problematic,” according to the report.
Those current standards for the Law and Public Safety II courses state, “Analyze differences in power and privilege related to people of culturally diverse backgrounds, beliefs and practices,” and, “Analyze issues of cultural assimilation and cultural preservation among ethnic and racial groups in South Dakota and the United States.”
DOE staff also reviewed “disaggregated” or “unpacked” standards, which are optional and supplemental to content standards. Some have suggested activities; for example, one is to “circulate a petition, organize a rally (or) champion a boycott.”
Sanderson’s report states the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings standards (OSEUs) pose a unique situation. A bill passed in 2007, and a group gathered in 2008, to work on the standards, work which has developed over the course of years. A few of the suggested approaches to instruction in the OSEUs may not align with Noem’s order, the report states.
More: New social studies standards should be 'free from political agendas and activism,' DOE draft states
For example, one suggested activity is to “simulate assimilation experiences.” The DOE recommends experts and stakeholders that aren’t DOE staff review the OSEUs, which are now slated for public hearings in 2024 and 2025.
Removal of words like equity, bias
In the educator preparation category, the DOE recommends revising a “strand” of its South Dakota Indian Studies course from the former “Establish a fundamental awareness of cultural dynamics such as race and gender bias, stereotyping, assumptions, etc.” to “Establish a fundamental awareness of cultural dynamics.”
The DOE will also be proposing a bill to change a reference to “educational equity of the school district” in state law, and to propose removing “promote equity” from two administrative rules.
Other action areas the DOE highlighted include:
Changing the name of “School and Educator Equity Report” in the annual report card to “Rates of Access to Qualified Teachers”
Modify process for review of continuing education contact hours and their application to educators’ certificate renewals
Revise certain program approval evaluation tools
Engage the Board of Regents, tribal and private colleges’ educator preparation programs to review course syllabi and materials
Modifying documents and resources to eliminate terms and content as necessary
Develop guidance for staff members and contractors to use in selecting training topics and presenters, building professional development and vetting any resources
Modify trainings and their associated resources that don’t align with the order
Adding a component to the course approval process in which the provider assures that content aligns with the order
Remove outdated or unaligned resources from websites and other circulation
Vet and limit links to resources, materials and websites other than those of the DOE’s or its official partners
Now that this report is published, the DOE will focus its efforts on taking the actions identified in its report by Oct. 1, as laid out in Noem’s order.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota Dept. of Education releases CRT findings in department
