North Carolina House approves delay in use of controversial new social studies standards [View all]

North Carolina Republican lawmakers want to delay the use of new social studies standards that conservative critics say are too negative about the nation’s history.

The state House voted 74-34 on Wednesday to pass a rewritten version of a COVID-19 relief bill that includes a one-year delay in implementing the social studies standards. Republicans say the delay is needed because the State Board of Education and the state Department of Public Instruction are still working on the documents that teachers will use.

“Could you imagine if you were in charge of curriculum at the local level and this is still not completed and it may be completed by the end of the month, that you have a month turnaround to turn that into a pacing guide and have some sort of staff development for your history teachers at the high school level,” said Rep. Jeffrey Elmore, a Wilkes County Republican.

“It doesn’t matter what’s in it. It’s just logistically impossible.”

Several Democrats objected on Wednesday, saying the last-minute change to this fall’s school schedules would negatively impact students and teachers. The challenge for Democrats is that the bill includes items that they support, such as $100 million in extra pay for teachers and $1,000 grants for families to help with learning loss.

Read more: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/article252004878.html