Yes, Pennridge School Board, social studies education is important
At a recent Pennridge School Board policy meeting, a board member promoted the idea that social studies education does not impact our students’ performance in college, an allegation that shocked my colleagues and me. Of course, students apply skills they develop in their high school social studies classes in their college classes. I’m not here to debate such an outrageous claim. I’m here as a Pennridge community member and social studies teacher to make clear how important social studies education is to our youth and why Pennridge might be on the cusp of making a mistake that will affect thousands of students who will graduate from the Pennridge School District now and in the years to come.
To provide some context, the Pennridge School Board is currently contemplating reducing the number of social studies credits required for graduation from four to three. There are districts in the region that only require three credits in social studies, but the vast majority of the academically rigorous districts in Bucks and Montgomery counties require four credits. These districts recognize how important the topics social studies encompasses are to producing well-rounded graduates. Social studies education includes many fields such as history, economics, civics/government, geography, sociology, and psychology. Covering all of these areas and adequately addressing the state standards in less than four years would be extremely challenging. Moreover, moving from four to three credits would have many negative ripple effects including a lack of course depth, less time to develop essential 21st Century learning skills like critical thinking, fewer students taking Advanced Placement classes and potentially lower test scores for those who do, as well as fewer social studies electives being offered.
There are other ill-advised changes to the social studies curriculum being considered such as eliminating our World History and Cultures course. Our goal should be to create well-rounded citizens who are aware of different cultures throughout the United States and the world. Our youth are entering a global economy and an understanding of other peoples and cultures will be critical to their success. The study of world history is also helpful in putting our own nation’s story in context.
Changes that could impact students negatively in the ways I have outlined above should only be agreed to after thoughtful deliberation. Unfortunately, even with the gravity of this decision, they may decide against the traditional process of forming a committee of important stakeholders: administrators, teachers, board members, and community members. These stakeholders could more thoroughly explore possible options which could meet the needs of all of our students. They instead may choose to fast-track it through their policy committee and vote on it as soon as possible.
A strong Social Studies education program is important to maintain the integrity of a democracy. All students will become citizens in our society and will have the power to cast a vote. Our democracy is healthier if citizens are more enlightened on subjects that are taught within the field of social studies. Evidence has proven that civic engagement increases when students have experience in strong social studies education programs.
Social studies classes are also a vehicle to help students understand the country and the world around them. When taught properly, they provide a safe and comfortable environment for students to discuss and explore current events that are happening in their community, region, state, country, and the world. They also allow students to practice civil discourse that is guided by a trained professional. As our country becomes increasingly politically polarized, it becomes more imperative that youth be armed with the skills to debate ideas in a civil manner.
As a social studies teacher, I witness the power and importance of social studies and the impact it has on our students' lives on a daily basis. The more educated our society is in the social sciences, the stronger and more successful our Republic will become.
Let me leave you with a quote from one of our founding fathers:
“I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves, (A)nd if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power.”
— Thomas Jefferson
Please join my colleagues and me in opposing this school board policy change that would have far-reaching and permanent consequences for Pennridge students.
Robert Cousineau has been teaching social studies for 15 years and currently teaches at Pennridge High School. He teaches Advanced Placement U.S. History, Modern U.S. History, and History Through Film. He is a resident in the Pennridge School District.
This article originally appeared on The Intelligencer: Yes, Pennridge School Board, social studies education is important
