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Committee Hearing on the "Third Draft" of the Social Studies Standards

February 23, 2004

1. Committee hearing on the "third draft" of the social studies standards;
The house committee listened to the changes in the social studies standards and took no immediate action. EdWatch testified in opposition to a third draft, except for genuine technical changes. as we reported a week ago, the changes are, indeed substantive.

Action:
Your calls to your legislators have been very, very helpful. Please keep in contact with them. continue to urge them to keep the "citizens committee" draft. These changes will just be the beginning. If the house makes its changes, the senate has every political excuse to do the same.

We know that the ultimate targets in the standards are on the founding principles in the declaration of independence, on teaching the free enterprise system, and on knowledge-based learning. One of the so-called "national experts" has criticized the citizens draft this way:

"The Declaration is only symbolically a founding document, since it proclaimed independence. it has no legal status and establishes no rights..."

Undermining the principles of national sovereignty, unalienable rights, and self-evident truth are what is at stake in this battle.

Look for the coming announcement of our day at the Capitol -- March 10th -- Wednesday. Put it on your calendar. We can be there together for one special day.

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