Contentious Curriculum: Examining Controversial Issues in Education

The question posed by Herbert Spencer in the nineteenth century - "what knowledge is worth the most?" - continues to fuel debates about curriculum in education. These debates, particularly prominent in the 1990s, often stem from philosophical differences between traditionalist and progressive viewpoints. This article will examine the evolution of controversies in education, their impact on curriculum content and breadth, and the potential for future conflicts, particularly with the rise of new technologies and the Common Core State Standards.

Historical Overview: Curriculum Wars from the 1990s

The 1990s witnessed significant curriculum battles across core K-12 subjects, including reading, math, science, and history.

Reading: The "whole language" approach clashed with phonics and code-based methods.
Math: The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards initially gained widespread acceptance but later faced strong opposition.
Science: Advocates of hands-on, project-based learning debated with proponents of content-oriented curricula.

The Rise of Standards and Accountability

The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the rise of academic standards. Curriculum debates, previously confined to education schools, gained prominence as standards and assessments became linked to accountability systems. This shift transformed what had been primarily an argument among academic rivals and professional educators into a highly politicized issue.

The Subsiding of Curriculum Wars

The curriculum wars eventually subsided due to several factors:

Focus on Reading and Math: State and federal education reforms prioritized reading and math, pushing science and history debates to the background.
Legislative Action in Reading: More than one hundred bills passed by legislatures effectively eliminated whole language from state-level reading policies. The federal Reading Excellence Act (1998) and Reading First (No Child Left Behind Act, 2002) supported programs based on “scientifically based reading research.”
NCTM Shift in Mathematics: The NCTM adopted a more moderate approach, releasing a set of standards in 2000 and "Curriculum Focal Points" in 2006, which emphasized the importance of whole numbers and fractions in the elementary math curriculum. Consequently, the most controversial math reform curricula from the 1990s diminished in market share.

Impact on Instructional Time

The implementation of tests mandated by NCLB and state accountability systems led schools to prioritize reading and math, especially for low-achieving students. Critics argued that this emphasis narrowed the curriculum.

Teacher Surveys: Teacher questionnaires from the Schools and Staffing Survey (1988-2004) indicated that teachers in grades one through four increased time spent on English language arts and math by about an hour per week, with a corresponding decrease in social science and science.
State Studies: A 2004 study in Florida found that schools labeled as failing spent an inordinate amount of time teaching writing. A pre-NCLB study of Kentucky classrooms revealed that accountability linked to different subjects in different grades influenced instructional time.
District Surveys: A 2007 survey of district superintendents by the Center on Education Policy indicated that over half reported increased time on English language arts, and 45 percent reported increased time on math instruction. Districts that increased time on English language arts averaged an additional 141 minutes per week on the subject, while for math, the figure was 89 minutes.

Future Catalysts: Technology and the Common Core

Despite a relative calm in curriculum politics compared to the 1990s, new technologies and the Common Core State Standards have the potential to reignite debates.

The Role of Technology

The rise of computer-based instruction and online schooling has sparked interest in the potential of technology to transform education.

Individualized Learning: The possibility of customized online learning activities tailored to each student has been proposed.
Progressive Ideologies: Some argue that technology can facilitate curricula based on students’ interests and strengths, aligning with progressive educational theories.
Multiple Intelligences: Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences suggests that customized curricula can enhance learning by catering to students’ individual intelligences.

However, the proliferation of new technologies may also affect curriculum content, potentially reigniting the conflict between educational progressives and traditionalists. Individualized instructional programs may conflict with the goal of ensuring that all students learn a common body of knowledge and skills at approximately the same time.

The Common Core State Standards

The Common Core State Standards project operates on a premise opposed to the individualistic philosophy of technologists. Supporters believe that the content of learning should reflect societal goals and can be explicitly defined, with assessments measuring whether students have learned the authorized content by a specific time.

Many traditionalists are critical of the Common Core due to the following ambiguity:

Process Over Product: The Common Core can be used to justify questionable approaches to learning. For example, some schools have used constructivist math programs that prioritize graphical representation over traditional column addition, claiming it reveals students’ conceptual understanding.
Non-Fiction Texts: The Common Core's suggestion to balance non-fiction and fiction readings has faced criticism from English language arts teachers.
Integrated Math Courses: Math reformers have long advocated for integrated math courses that combine major topics, but this reform has faced public opposition due to teacher discomfort and parental concerns about college preparation.
Tracking: The Common Core could lead to the end of tracking in math through eighth grade, which could create political turmoil, as de-tracking created political turmoil in many communities in the 1990s.

Current Controversies and Political Landscape

America’s culture wars are increasingly playing out in the classroom, with numerous states enacting legislation to restrict discussions on race, racism, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Restrictions on Discussing Race and Racism: Dozens of states have recently moved to limit how race and issues of racism can be discussed in schools. For example, in Florida, a bill would ban teachers from saying “racial colorblindness” is racist. In South Carolina, a bill would ban teaching that “equity is a concept that is superior to or supplants the concept of equality.”
Restrictions on Discussing Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: Lawmakers across the country are pushing bills to limit public schools from addressing sexual orientation or gender identity, following Florida’s 2022 "Don’t Say Gay" law.
Curriculum Transparency and Parental Rights: In at least 10 states, legislators have proposed bills requiring administrators to list every book, reading, and activity that teachers use, granting parents prior right of review. Since January 2021, 14 states have passed “anti-critical race theory” legislation. Similar bills propose withholding funding from non-compliant school districts or allowing parents to sue educators who provide banned material.
"Parents’ Bill of Rights" Legislation: Many states have introduced "Parents’ Bill of Rights" legislation, mirroring a Florida law stating that school districts cannot withhold information from parents related to minor children’s “health, well-being, and education.” These bills often allow parents to object to instructional materials based on concerns about “morality, sex, and religion or the belief that such materials are harmful.”

The Role of Critical Race Theory

Conservative activists have targeted critical race theory (CRT), an academic framework that examines how policies and practices perpetuate racial inequalities. Despite the theory not being commonly taught in K-12 schools, it has become a focal point of conservative outrage.

Christopher Rufo's Influence: Far-right activist Christopher Rufo has played a significant role in fear-mongering about critical race theory in schools, helping inspire restrictive legislation.
Misrepresentation of CRT: Rufo admits to deliberately broadening the definition of CRT, applying the term to anything he views as “unpopular.”
Impact on Educators: The anti-CRT censorship campaign has confused educators, leading to self-censorship and a reluctance to address issues of race and racism openly.

The Broader Impact on Education

The ongoing controversies over curriculum have several broader implications:

Harm to Educators and Students: Targeting certain content through vaguely defined terms has a chilling effect on educators, leading them to avoid content related to race, gender, or sexuality.
Denying Students a Full Education: Restricting discussions on these topics denies students a comprehensive understanding of history and contemporary social issues.
Erosion of Trust in Public Education: The politicization of curriculum has eroded trust in public education, leading some parents to seek alternative options.

The Need for Research

The controversies surrounding curriculum highlight the need for further research in several areas:

Effectiveness of Different Curricula: Research is needed to determine what curricula work best, whether progressive or traditional, by identifying a set of outcomes that rival camps believe are worthy of attainment.
Impact of the Common Core: Research is needed on the impact of the Common Core on curriculum as the implementation of standards and tests unfolds.
Linkages Between Curriculum and Instruction: The connections between curriculum and instruction require further exploration.
Technology and Learning: More evidence is needed on the effects of technology on learning, particularly through evaluations of online learning.

Read also: Understanding TAMU Core Curriculum

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