Tweet
MOUNTAIN VIEW SCHOOL CANCELS CONTROVERSIAL HISTORY COURSE
By Sharon Noguchi
San Jose Mercury News, CA
June 5 2007
Mercury News
Frank Navarro's Facing History class is now history.
The Mountain View High School course, which examines the Holocaust
and other genocides, began 11 years ago in controversy and is ending
with a public flap.
It isn't that examining the inhumanity that leads to mass rape,
mutilation and slaughter is inappropriate as a classroom topic. It's
that in pursuit of improved scores on California standardized tests
and Advanced Placement exams, the Mountain View-Los Altos Union School
District is revamping its social studies curriculum.
Beginning in the fall, the district will require an additional semester
of world history and is offering sophomores the option of taking an
AP history class.
As a result, enrollment in social studies electives such as psychology
and Facing History have dwindled. With only 27 students signed up
for next year, the district canceled the Facing History course.
Students signed petitions in protest, wrote letters and pleaded before
the board of education. More promised to enroll.
But the district is not changing its mind. Monday was the last class.
Navarro, a 31-year veteran teacher, often brings in Holocaust survivors
and others who have observed mass killings.
"I'll never forget looking into the eyes that saw evil at its purest,"
sophomore Kaitlyn Rhodes wrote in a protest letter. "It's crucial we
have these classes so the stories are passed on, and future generations
can continue to be educated with a hope of one day achieving a world
without prejudice."
But district officials say they need to focus on bringing up test
scores.
On world history tests, "We were concerned our performance seemed to be
seriously depressed," said Brigette Sarraf, associate superintendent.
At the district's other comprehensive high school, Los Altos High,
Facing History will continue but with just one section for one
semester.
In redesigning its curriculum to boost test scores, the Mountain
View-Los Altos district is not alone.
Nationwide, the number of schools offering AP courses has increased
steadily. While 16 percent of high school graduates surveyed in
2000 had taken an AP exam in high school, by 2006, 24 percent had,
according to the College Board, which runs the exams.
Last year, the board administered 84,143 AP exams in world history,
a 32 percent jump from 2005. More than three-quarters of students
take the exam their sophomore year.
That's the grade level for which the Mountain View-Los Altos district
is overhauling the social studies curriculum.
"Schools are looking for ways to increase the rigor of their course
work," said Jennifer Topiel, a College Board spokeswoman.
Adding "testable" courses, though, comes at the expense of courses
that offer depth rather than breadth.
"It is unconscionable to reduce the study of the Armenian genocide
to a footnote in a survey course," said Jack Weinstein, director of
the non-profit Facing History and Ourselves, based in Massachusetts
but with offices around the country.
Promoting a more humane and informed citizenry, the 30-year-old group
offers classroom resources and teacher training to examine racism,
prejudice and anti-Semitism.
"We stand with teachers who feel strongly enough to have an in-depth
class," Weinstein said.
He estimated that as many as 40 South Bay high schools - including
Milpitas High, Palo Alto High and Gunn High in Palo Alto - offer
a Facing History-type course, and many more include the study of
genocides in history courses.
That is exactly what the Mountain View-Los Altos district plans to do.
"I tremendously value the curriculum of Facing History," Sarraf said.
"I'm delighted this gives us the opportunity for all students who take
world history to learn a great deal of the content of Facing History."
The guest speakers, the films and Navarro's expertise and passion
led students to think about human nature and genocide, students say.
"If it's scattered throughout a course, it may not lead students to
reflect on the subject of genocide," said Christopher Rosenberg, a
Mountain View High graduate who is now a freshman at the University
of Redlands.
Facing History examines how genocides happened and, Navarro hopes,
leads students to reflect upon current events and themselves. What,
he asks at the beginning of the semester, is the role of the bystander
in a genocide?
As for the course's effect on students in the long term, Navarro said
he hopes that "when they assume positions of leadership in business
and government, they will know the dangers of indifference."
http://www.mercurynews.com/ne ws/ci_6063820
By Sharon Noguchi
San Jose Mercury News, CA
June 5 2007
Mercury News
Frank Navarro's Facing History class is now history.
The Mountain View High School course, which examines the Holocaust
and other genocides, began 11 years ago in controversy and is ending
with a public flap.
It isn't that examining the inhumanity that leads to mass rape,
mutilation and slaughter is inappropriate as a classroom topic. It's
that in pursuit of improved scores on California standardized tests
and Advanced Placement exams, the Mountain View-Los Altos Union School
District is revamping its social studies curriculum.
Beginning in the fall, the district will require an additional semester
of world history and is offering sophomores the option of taking an
AP history class.
As a result, enrollment in social studies electives such as psychology
and Facing History have dwindled. With only 27 students signed up
for next year, the district canceled the Facing History course.
Students signed petitions in protest, wrote letters and pleaded before
the board of education. More promised to enroll.
But the district is not changing its mind. Monday was the last class.
Navarro, a 31-year veteran teacher, often brings in Holocaust survivors
and others who have observed mass killings.
"I'll never forget looking into the eyes that saw evil at its purest,"
sophomore Kaitlyn Rhodes wrote in a protest letter. "It's crucial we
have these classes so the stories are passed on, and future generations
can continue to be educated with a hope of one day achieving a world
without prejudice."
But district officials say they need to focus on bringing up test
scores.
On world history tests, "We were concerned our performance seemed to be
seriously depressed," said Brigette Sarraf, associate superintendent.
At the district's other comprehensive high school, Los Altos High,
Facing History will continue but with just one section for one
semester.
In redesigning its curriculum to boost test scores, the Mountain
View-Los Altos district is not alone.
Nationwide, the number of schools offering AP courses has increased
steadily. While 16 percent of high school graduates surveyed in
2000 had taken an AP exam in high school, by 2006, 24 percent had,
according to the College Board, which runs the exams.
Last year, the board administered 84,143 AP exams in world history,
a 32 percent jump from 2005. More than three-quarters of students
take the exam their sophomore year.
That's the grade level for which the Mountain View-Los Altos district
is overhauling the social studies curriculum.
"Schools are looking for ways to increase the rigor of their course
work," said Jennifer Topiel, a College Board spokeswoman.
Adding "testable" courses, though, comes at the expense of courses
that offer depth rather than breadth.
"It is unconscionable to reduce the study of the Armenian genocide
to a footnote in a survey course," said Jack Weinstein, director of
the non-profit Facing History and Ourselves, based in Massachusetts
but with offices around the country.
Promoting a more humane and informed citizenry, the 30-year-old group
offers classroom resources and teacher training to examine racism,
prejudice and anti-Semitism.
"We stand with teachers who feel strongly enough to have an in-depth
class," Weinstein said.
He estimated that as many as 40 South Bay high schools - including
Milpitas High, Palo Alto High and Gunn High in Palo Alto - offer
a Facing History-type course, and many more include the study of
genocides in history courses.
That is exactly what the Mountain View-Los Altos district plans to do.
"I tremendously value the curriculum of Facing History," Sarraf said.
"I'm delighted this gives us the opportunity for all students who take
world history to learn a great deal of the content of Facing History."
The guest speakers, the films and Navarro's expertise and passion
led students to think about human nature and genocide, students say.
"If it's scattered throughout a course, it may not lead students to
reflect on the subject of genocide," said Christopher Rosenberg, a
Mountain View High graduate who is now a freshman at the University
of Redlands.
Facing History examines how genocides happened and, Navarro hopes,
leads students to reflect upon current events and themselves. What,
he asks at the beginning of the semester, is the role of the bystander
in a genocide?
As for the course's effect on students in the long term, Navarro said
he hopes that "when they assume positions of leadership in business
and government, they will know the dangers of indifference."
http://www.mercurynews.com/ne ws/ci_6063820