Breaking News: Ohio Senate Education Committee Unannimously Supports SB 96

Today, the “Campaign to Save World History in Ohio’s School” moved one step closer to its goal of keeping world history as a graduation requirement for Ohio’s high school students. Yesterday, the Ohio Senate Education Standing Committee voted unanimously to support Senator LaRose’s sponsored legislation (Senate Bill 96) that requires Ohio’s students to successfully complete before graduating from high school:

…at least one unit of instruction in the study of world history and cultures from around the world other than that of the United States.

 The bill now moves to the floor of the entire Ohio Senate for deliberation and a vote.  Having the whole weight of the Senate Education Standing Committee gives us great hopes in advancing this bill out of the Senate before their recess. 

 The Campaign needs your help now more than ever! Please, continue to contact your elected House of Representative Members- especially, those in the House Education StandingCommittee. Feel free to use the letter template provided by the Ohio Council for the Social Studies. Also, be sure to sign and share our petition (on Facebook and Twitter, and over discussions) with friends, family, and vested groups and networks.

In a few weeks, Corbin Moore (President of the Ohio Council for the Social Studies) and I will testify to the Ohio State School Board on why they should support Senate Bill 96. It’s important that we gain their support in advancing this legislation through the House and onward to the Governor’s desk.

Please, know that while we still have a way to go, today was a huge step forward for the Campaign. Your previous efforts and all of your contributions have led us to where we are today.

Onward,

Brad

UPDATE: THE CAMPAIGN TO SAVE WORLD HISTORY IN OHIO’S SCHOOLS

Today, Corbin Moore (the President of the Ohio Council for the Social Studies) and I provided a proponent testimony to Senate Bill 96.  As we all know, the Ohio Legislature recently downgraded World History to an elective course.  In order to graduate from high school, Ohio’s students will only need to complete required coursework in American History and American Government.

We believe that today’s global age demands all of Ohio’s students receive instruction in world history before graduating from high school.  Unlike any other generation, today’s students will be actors on a global stage.  Due to improvements in technology, communications, and transportation events in a once distant part of the world have immediate impact on our nation and state.  Significant global issues such as nuclear proliferation, international trade and investment, conflict/terrorism, and environmental degradation can only be remedied through a commitment to global understanding, communication, collaboration, and action. Today’s schools are on the frontlines in preparing citizens with requisite knowledge and skills in world history, culture, economics, and geography.  By not requiring instruction in world history, our attempt to build a world-class education system is anything but worldly. 

Senate Bill 96 sponsored by Senator LaRose and co-sponsored by Senators Lehner, Hite, and Cafaro is essential in putting the global back into our efforts to build a world-class education system.  After testimony today, both Corbin and I are confident that with this legislation will continue to move through the Senate’s Education Committee and pass the Senate.  However, we have some significant challenges ahead if this greatly needed bill is to become law.

Some members of the Ohio House of Representatives and some members of the State Board of Education oppose this legislation.  Their rationale varies from one Representative noting “…it’ll be a cold day in hell before he spends one dollar of Ohio taxpayer revenue to teach about other countries, as students need to learn about U.S. values and how this country is a light on top of a hill.” Other reservations include the possibility of the legislation/Ohio Legislature overstepping its boundaries and micromanaging the curriculum of local school districts.  Such rationale fails to account for the fact that some fiscally strapped Ohio local school districts have already cut and downgraded world history to an elective course and many more will continue to do so at a time where our state and its economy can ill afford a globally ignorant and apathetic citizenry.   This argument against also fails to account for the historical precedent set by the Ohio Legislature in the past in identifying particular courses and content that must be taught (see  SB 165 which was signed into law), and the Ohio legislature’s constitutional right to ensure a high quality learning experience for all of its students

This campaign needs your help (as we’ve come so far) and we’re asking that you contact the following two parties and ask each support Senate Bill 96:

• Your elected Ohio State Board of Education Member:  http://education.ohio.gov/State-Board/State-Board-Members

• Your assigned Ohio House of Representative Member:  http://www.ohiohouse.gov/index

Please, feel free to use the provided letter template in your correspondences:  http://tinyurl.com/lhrnaq4.

 

The time to act is now, and your contacts will make all the difference in our Campaign to Save World History in Ohio’s Schools.

Save World History in Ohio: Sign the Petition!

We've recently started an online petition to ensure World History is a required course for high school graduation in Ohio. For more context on this story, read the previous blog entry.

The names of supporters will be sent to the Ohio General Assembly to document our shared support of ensuring all students are prepared to understand the world and its people.  It just takes a second to complete!

Change.org

Start an Online Petition »

Save World History in Ohio

As a teacher educator, an avid voter, and a citizen deeply concerned about the future of the State of Ohio, I’m asking for your help in curtailing the devastating cuts made to the social studies curriculum by the Ohio State House. In its most recent decision, the Ohio State Legislature and the Ohio Department of Education decided not to include World History as a required course for high school graduation. The state representatives have also failed to include world history on its list of courses to be assessed. In the past 10 years, the education community has come to learn that if a course is not mandated or assessed, it’s usually not taught; especially, in such difficult economic times for schools. This unprecedented move by the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Legislature will have devastating consequences for our students, families, communities, and industry in an increasingly globally interconnected age.

The decision to not include world history as a required course could not have come at a worse time with our nation and veterans engaged in two on-going international military conflicts, citizens facing a global economic recession, and our world facing important global issues. The fact is that our State needs citizens, consumers, workers, and businesses that are knowledgeable about the rest of the world and its people. More so than any other generation, today’s students will be actors on a global stage (Merryfield & Wilson, 2005). Their lives will be shaped by events, movements, and issues from all corners of our planet. Their economic, political, and environmental decisions will have a significant impact on our world. World History is one of the most important courses in the entire social studies curriculum geared towards preparing students to work with a diverse citizenry committed to a deeper level of understanding in order to confront both local and global challenges.

We need your support in mandate that World History is a required course for graduation in the State of Ohio. There are three steps readers can take to meet our goal of ensuring World History stays a vibrant course offering in Ohio:

1. Discuss this issue with family, friends, and community leaders. Be sure to emphasis how the decision to not include World History as a graduation requirement or to mandate the state-wide assessment of World History in the State of Ohio will be devastating for our State’s mission of cultivating globally attuned and active citizens.

2. Contact your elected leaders and voice your concern about the failure to include World History as a required course for high school graduation.

For more information on this topic, please, feel free to review the advocacy efforts of the Ohio Council for the Social Studies:  http://ocss.wordpress.com/advocacy/legislative-updates-and-contacts. I have also blogged about this crisis at http://globalandsocialstudieseducation.blogspot.com/2010/09/state-of-social-studies-educatin-in.html .

I look forward to your support in helping to educate the youth of Ohio in a globally interconnected age.

A Recent Article Published in TSSP

Saving World History in Ohio's Schools