Thread by @meltzere

I'm at the State Board of Ed meeting, where members expect to approve intensely debated social studies standards. We're off to a good start, with 3 Dems voting against the agenda after board chair Angelika Schroeder declined to add time to public comment. #edcolo #copolitics

https://twitter.com/ChalkbeatCO/status/1590574653214724098

There's a lot of technical problems with the livestream, but for folks who aren't here in person, the meeting is being recorded and will be available later.

There's a large group of community members here in "Restore the Cuts" t-shirts, hoping to see specific references to LGBTQ people and communities and to racial and ethnic groups put back into social studies standards.

There are also folks here from FAIR, a conservative group that felt the initial version of the standards would divide students by race, introduce conversations about sex into early elementary classrooms, and present an overly negative view of American history.

We're at public comment. The first speaker is the mother of an infant who warns parents will lose trust in the public education system if teachers tell first graders about contributions of an LGBTQ community leader and then must explain what it means to be gay.

A series of LGBTQ students tell the State Board that if they had known about gay and trans historical figures, it would have given them hope for their own lives and made them safer at school. "My existence is not political. Will you support my right to exist publicly?"

Educator Rona Wilensky says yes, curriculum needs to be age appropriate, but diverse families and students need to see themselves in the formal curriculum, in posters on the walls, in lessons. That would show that all people belong.

Summit school board president Kate Hudnut says Colorado has been a leader in enacting laws that protect LGBTQ people, including youth in schools. Colorado social studies standards need to be honest and fact-based. Don't yield to discomfort of some and remove important references.

I should note: Schroeder, the chair, did provide 45 minutes for public comment, rather than the scheduled 30, after all.

We're on to voting on changes to the social studies standards. Board member Lisa Escárcega is proposing restoring many references to specific racial and ethnic groups, to LGBTQ communities, and adding Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.

Board member Steve Durham argues it is fundamentally different to talk about LGBTQ issues in younger elementary. He says he almost brought in a video of a drag queen story time but "I almost consider it child abuse." Gasps in the audience.

Board members Karla Esser and Rebecca McClellan describe families in their social circles with two moms or two dads and how children are unphased by this.

Board member Deb Scheffel is asking how these standards will translate into curriculum and whether parents will really be able to see what's taught. Chair Schroeder says that's local school board decision.

Party line 4-3 vote in favor of restoring the cut material.

Colorado State Board of Ed votes 4-3 in a party line decision to approve the more expansive, inclusive version of the state social studies standards.

And the State Board votes unanimously to make two changes to genocide standards. Adding the word "fascist" in front of the word Nazi and restoring lost references to Bosnia, Rwanda, and Darfur.

And a unanimous vote to add the Sand Creek massacre to a list of genocides that Colorado students should learn about.

And that's that. In a 4-3 party line vote, Colorado has new social studies standards. Story coming shortly.