IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1593 
Supporting academically based social studies curriculum standards for the 
Nation’s elementary and secondary education public school textbooks. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 30, 2010 
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. 
HINOJOSA, Mr. REYES, and Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education 
and Labor 
RESOLUTION 
Supporting academically based social studies curriculum 
standards for the Nation’s elementary and secondary 
education public school textbooks. 
Whereas the National Council for the Social Studies believes 
that State social studies standards should be developed 
by consulting scholars for their expertise, soliciting input 
from community members and educators, and having 
master social studies educators write standards to ensure 
that they are effective and grade appropriate; 
Whereas the Texas State Board of Education appointed 
teachers and scholars to serve on writing teams and 
tasked them to use their expertise and professional judg-
ment to draft curriculum standards for each subject or 
grade level; 
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•HRES 1593 IH 
Whereas elected officials at the Texas State Board of Edu-
cation 
disregarded 
many 
academically 
based 
rec-
ommendations and approved politically biased standards 
within the curriculum that are outside of mainstream 
scholarship; 
Whereas due to the size and influence of the Texas textbook 
market, curriculum standards adopted in Texas have long 
exerted a strong influence on public school textbooks used 
around the United States; 
Whereas changes made by the Texas State Board of Edu-
cation, such as downplaying the struggle leading up to 
and during the civil rights movement and undermining 
basic concepts of the constitutionally mandated bound-
aries between institutions of religion and government are 
outside the mainstream of historical scholarship; 
Whereas over 1,200 history scholars from universities across 
Texas and the Nation signed a letter stating that Texas’ 
social studies curriculum revisions would undermine the 
study of the social sciences in public schools by misrepre-
senting and even distorting the historical record and the 
functioning of United States society; and 
Whereas civil rights organizations expressed concern that the 
curriculum standards adopted by the Texas State Board 
of Education do not accurately portray the struggle by 
minorities and women to achieve civil and equal rights in 
the United States: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports standards that guide curriculum 
development, instruction, and assessment in class-
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•HRES 1593 IH 
rooms that are developed by experts and not subject 
to political biases; 
(2) supports social studies curriculum stand-
ards that reflect current historical scholarship to ac-
curately present vocabulary and content-specific 
knowledge to students, help students acquire the an-
alytical skills to understand chronology, and engage 
in comprehension, interpretation, problem-solving, 
and decisionmaking required for college readiness 
and the 21st century workforce; 
(3) supports social studies curriculum stand-
ards that accurately address the fundamental con-
flicts and triumphs that have shaped the Nation’s 
past and influence its future; and 
(4) supports social studies curriculum stand-
ards that are clear, informed, and inclusive to allow 
students to be knowledgeable of the Nation’s diverse 
history and culture, just as our diversity represents 
an integral part of the Nation as a whole. 
Æ 
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