AUSTIN—An individual affiliated with the Council on American-Islamic Relations testified before the State Board of Education in protest of new social studies standards that identify terrorism with “radical Islam.” Conservative activists also attended the Tuesday meeting in support of the new standards.
The SBOE is currently revising state standards for social studies, known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills.
While some speakers voiced concerns that the review process was rushed and the new standards contain developmentally inappropriate content, several critics focused on the supposed “misrepresentation” of Islam.
One of the arguments was that the standards “lack a definition of terrorism and falsely associate it with one religion by using the controversial phrase ‘radical Islam’.”
Among those who testified was Shaimaa Zayan, operations manager for CAIR-Austin.
CAIR has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by Gov. Greg Abbott.
“When terrorism is not clearly defined and used only in association with Muslims we ignite hate and prejudice against the Texas Muslim community,” said Zayan “Definitions and labels matter, and our students deserve standards that help them objectively and critically evaluate both historical and current events.”
Others argued that the use of the term “Islamic slave trade” as used in the proposed World History standards when describing the decline of the Byzantine Empire and the rise of the Ottoman empire, is historically inaccurate.
“Labeling slavery in this context as uniquely Islamic, incorrectly suggests that the practice originated with or was defined by Islam itself,” said Dr. Shaza Khan, executive director of Islamic Schools League of America. “Texas students deserve terminology that reflects accurate historical scholarship and avoids misleadingly attaching religious identity to practices that are not connected to theology.”
They urged the board to adopt terms “historically precise and academically appropriate.”
Fran Rhodes, president of True Texas Project, encouraged the board to reject the adoption of standards that insert “Islamic practices and ideology, except in the context of world history and the development of nations.”
“Islam has nothing to do with the founding of the USA or Texas and should not be included in US and Texas history curriculum.”
“Article seven, section one of the Constitution, tells us that the purpose of public free school is the preservation of the liberties and the rights of the people,” said Rhodes. “Indoctrination into systems hostile to the Texas Constitution is seditious and unconstitutional.”
Several supporters praised the proposed standards’ emphasis on factual history, strong academic standards, and the foundational principles of our nation, but also urged the board to keep this direction during the revision process.
Mary Elizabeth Castle, director of government relations for Texas Values, told the board that she is “grateful for the improvements” made on the new draft, many of which she had brought to the board’s attention during the February board meeting.
These changes include adding standards that teach children Moses was a lawgiver, Abraham was an ancient Hebrew leader for Abrahamic religions, and “the important tenets of Christianity during the time of the Roman Empire and how that influenced Western civilization, America, and Texas.”
Castle also gave several additional recommended changes to the board.
The board is slated to vote on first reading Friday.
Then, members will once again take up the proposed standards in June for final approval. If approved, the new standards will take effect August 2030.
