According the Sunshine State Standards, middle school students are to be taught American History up to 1880. When the get to high school, the American History moves from the Reconstruction Era forward.
The Florida Department of Education has a set of grade level expectations for eighth graders. They are to understand the impact of significant people, events and ideas on the development of the United States. They are learn the essential ideas of American constitutional government that are expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Federalist Papers, and other writings
Eighth graders should understand major ideas about why government is necessary and the purposes government should serve. They should know the ways the legislative, executive, and judicial branches share power and responsibilities.
AMERICAN HISTORY IN HIGH SCHOOL DOES NOT COVER THIS UNDER THE SUNSHINE STATE STANDARDS. Read more.
WMS parents have told the IN that the American History class at Warrington Middle School used the majority of their class time to drill on FCAT math. If so, then WMS and Superintendent Malcolm Thomas robbed these children from understanding the very foundation upon which our nation is founded.
The School Board and the Florida Department of Education need to investigate if this did happen at WMS. While they are investigating, they should check the American History instruction at the other middle schools across the county.
What other classes are being sacrificed to improve FCAT scores?
