The middle school TNReady social studies test is facing scrutiny by Williamson County parents who have discovered the test’s heavy focus on world religions, specifically the monotheistic faiths.
School board member and concerned parent Susan Curlee has put together a petition to ban the mandatory testing requirement for 6th & 7th Graders for the 2015-16 school year.
A large portion of the middle schoolers’ social studies curriculum, which can be viewed on the Williamson County Schools website, is dedicated to the origins of each major religion and their historical connections to one another.
Islam, Judaism and Christianity are the main focuses throughout the first nine weeks, followed by Buddhism, Hinduism and the old world religions such as Greek mythology and the gods worshiped by the Aztec and Incan empires.
“This is about protecting religious liberties of children and families, a right guaranteed by the constitution,” Curlee said in an email.
Part of Curlee’s petition voices her worry about the students answering a question based on their individual religion, which could likely conflict with getting a correct answer.
However, each district has the option to opt out of making these test scores a part of the student’s overall grades.
The questions in the TNReady test have not been released because according to the state’s department of education, many of the test questions will be reused for next year’s test.
While no specific religions are listed in the petition, there has also been a statewide concern over the teachings of how Islam is taught in schools, including claims of biases toward Islamic indoctrination in the textbooks and class materials.
“As a mom involved in my children’s schools and PTO, I reviewed social studies textbooks almost two years ago,” Curlee said. “My concerns grew because it soon became clear there were issues beyond textbooks. As I mentioned when I spoke before to the Textbook & Materials Commission, there currently is not a process for parental review and approval of supplemental materials like worksheets, videos and presentations used in class. With the importance placed on tests and knowing tests heavily influence content, there has to be a reasonable level of review.”
Representative Andy Holt, after expressing his discontent and curiosity of the content, attempted to take a test and was denied.
The petition has over 200 signatures at Change.org and over 100 at CitizenGo.org.
Read Curlee’s petition below:
“Statewide, parents are speaking out with great concern over social studies standards in Tennessee. The state has acknowledged the concern by calling for an early review of standards. Unfortunately, addressing standards alone will not solve the immediate or entire problem.
A major portion of the 7th grade TNReady Social Studies test centers on religion, and not necessarily in historical context. This exam is a major portion of a child’s final grade. Parents and children who’ve voiced concerns over materials will soon face yet another dilemma. If last year’s test was any indication, the state exam will contain questions likely to conflict with a child’s individual religious beliefs. If a child fails to answer even one question they personally find offensive or contradictory to their religious beliefs, or lack thereof, it will have an immediate negative impact on both the test score and final course grade. Ultimately, the ramifications of a lower grade could limit a child’s access to honors, AP, IB and other academic programs, as well as their ability to secure college scholarships.
A child’s religious beliefs should never be compromised or called into question for the sake of a grade. Now is the time to exercise consciousness, compassion and common sense.
By signing below, I am asking the Tennessee Commissioner of Education to remove the mandatory testing requirement for 6th & 7th Graders for the 2015-16 school year.”
When Willimason County teaches about islam with the same accuracy and hatred that they teach other socialist distopian schemes like the national socialism forced upon Germany by Hitler, then teachings about islam will have value for TN students.
Williamson spelled “Williamson” County touches on several religions and their influence within the context of history in 6th and 7th grade which has nothing to do with current events, its HISTORY. Social studies taught in 6th and 7th grade only goes up to approximately the 1500s. Hitler was not around at that time. The perpetuation of misinformation is what fuels this misguided agenda.