September 25, 2014

Dan McMinimee, Superintendent

Jefferson County Board of Education

Re: AP US History (APUSH) and Board Committee for Curriculum Review

Dear Superintendent McMinimee and Members of the Board of Education:

Thank you for providing the Jefferson County community with the opportunity to put into practice the
kind of civic and community discourse and action that is the hallmark of the United States of America. As
a JeffCo school district parent and Lakewood resident, I appreciate the public space this issue of APUSH
curriculum standards has created for all of us to pay more attention to and become involved in
education decisions that directly impact our children, our local community, and ultimately, our
democracy. While I am not an expert on AP United States History curriculum design, I try to be an expert
on community engagement through my own work and through my own personal actions. I truly believe
that we have a moral and civic responsibility to engage in public life through inquiry, dialogue, and the
persistent pursuit of knowledge.

I am writing to provide considerations and suggestions regarding two specific subjects: the process for
seating a Board Committee for Curriculum Review and the general framework being used to
contextualize APUSH content and standards.

First, regarding the process for seating a Board Committee for Curriculum Review. Given the rather
contentious nature of this issue and the varying frameworks individuals are using to evaluate quality in
the curriculum, I implore the Board of Education to be transparent in its proceedings and to create an
equitable process for seating a Committee with individuals knowledgeable in the field of United States
American History and curriculum design. The current process reeks of bias and will not be respected by
the larger Jefferson County community in its decision making. Please pay attention to the lessons of
history and create a process and space wherein these contentious issues are debated and discussed
rather than ignored through totalitarian decision making. At the very least, the Board has the protocol
set by the District that would provide some unbiased next steps for curriculum review. Please include
the voice of youth, for whom this issue of curriculum is very real, in any proposed next steps. What an
opportunity we have before us to model the very principles of self-governance and representation upon
which this country was founded.

Second, regarding the general framework being used to contextualize APUSH content and standards. In
reading through the APUSH curriculum framework, the learning objectives for the curriculum, and the
Press Release issued by JeffCo Board of Education Member Julie Williams on September 22, it seems
evident that there is a significant difference in the lens through which the APUSH curriculum designers
and Ms. Williams approach United States history. I appreciate Ms. Williamss caution around the relative
newness of the APUSH curriculum and certainly agree with setting benchmarks for measuring impact
once theres more data to support the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the curriculum.

What concerns me is the perceived threat Ms. Williams describes in her Press Release specific to the
curriculums emphasis on racial, gender, class, and ethnic identities as a revisionist version of American
history. By way of example, here are learning objectives from the APUSH curriculum:

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Analyze how emerging conceptions of national identity and democratic ideals shaped value
systems, gender roles, and cultural movements in the late 18
th
century and the 19
th
century.
Analyze the role of economic, political, social, and ethnic factors on the formation of regional
identities in what would become the United States from the colonial period through the 19
th

century.
Explain how and why different labor systems have developed, persisted, and changed since
1800 and how events such as the Civil War and industrialization shaped U.S. society and
workers lives.
Analyze how debates over political values (such as democracy, freedom, and citizenship) and the
extension of American ideals abroad contributed to the ideological clashes and military conflicts
of the 19
th
century and the early 20
th
century.

It is unclear to me how we teach our children about the founding of the United States of America and its
history without a focus on race, gender, class, and ethnicity. Some of the greatest achievements in the
history of the United States, including its founding, have been born from civil unrest, the struggle for
basic human rights, and the rejection of injustice based on race, gender, class, and ethnicity. American
exceptionalism, as one of three basic concepts that Ms. Williams proposes should be included in a public
school education, is not an historical eraser. American history is complex, layered, messy, and real.
Voices are omitted, history is often written by the privileged, and context is king. We need to challenge
our children to think critically about the complexity of American history, to become civic actors who are
informed of and engaged in decisions that impact their lives, as a living testament to what makes the
United States remarkable: the opportunity for democratic engagement.

The APUSH learning outcomes encourage students to dive deeper into root causes of this countrys
greatest assets and challenges, both of which are extremely valuable. The purpose of public schools is to
cultivate an educated citizenry and community that understand the historical context for current and
future actions, to equip youth with the skills to engage in public life through democratic participation,
and to instill the knowledge and ability for individuals to contribute to the workforce as productive
members of society. Democratic engagement is far greater than the sum of historical dates and figures.
Democratic engagement, as a pillar of this country, is taught through asking questions about hard issues,
requiring youth to think critically about concepts that are messy, and providing avenues through which
they can translate passion into action. The APUSH curriculum, while Im sure its not perfect, achieves
the first two of those goals. We, as a community, should provide opportunities for the last of those
goals.

I appreciate your time and thought on this important issue and hope that we can move forward as a
community in a way that builds consensus and transparency along the way. I look forward to being part
of that process. Thank you,




Stephanie Schooley
JeffCo Parent & Resident
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