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Announced by Republican members Brandon Hall and Julie Pickren last week, David Barton will serve as one of several expert content advisers to the board as it develops a new social studies agenda that will dedicate more time across school grades to Texas and U.S. history while placing less attention on world history and cultures.
Board members can nominate content advisers to review and provide feedback during the revision process. Barton served in a similar role when the board revised its social studies standards in 2010.
His appointment comes ahead of what are expected to be intense debates about Texas’ social studies framework, specifically how and what students should learn about history. Those discussions will take place as Texas’ Republican leaders increasingly push to inject Christian beliefs and values into public school classrooms.
Barton is a former vice chair of the Republican Party of Texas and the founder of WallBuilders, a Christian advocacy group based in North Texas that believes “American liberty is being eroded” and that the country’s “biblical foundation is under constant attack.”
Historians critical of Barton’s beliefs have pointed to his lack of formal historical training and the fact that a book he authored over a decade ago, “The Jefferson Lies,” was pulled from the shelves by its publisher due to historical details “that were not adequately supported.” [Many other errors of fact and misrepresentation can be laid at Barton's feet other than this one book.]
When Barton advised the State Board of Education roughly 15 years ago, he called the fact that racial, ethnic and religious groups have expanded political rights in American society a “false premise,” noting his perspective that such advances would not have happened without the country’s white majority.
Board members can nominate content advisers to review and provide feedback during the revision process. Barton served in a similar role when the board revised its social studies standards in 2010.
His appointment comes ahead of what are expected to be intense debates about Texas’ social studies framework, specifically how and what students should learn about history. Those discussions will take place as Texas’ Republican leaders increasingly push to inject Christian beliefs and values into public school classrooms.
Barton is a former vice chair of the Republican Party of Texas and the founder of WallBuilders, a Christian advocacy group based in North Texas that believes “American liberty is being eroded” and that the country’s “biblical foundation is under constant attack.”
Historians critical of Barton’s beliefs have pointed to his lack of formal historical training and the fact that a book he authored over a decade ago, “The Jefferson Lies,” was pulled from the shelves by its publisher due to historical details “that were not adequately supported.” [Many other errors of fact and misrepresentation can be laid at Barton's feet other than this one book.]
When Barton advised the State Board of Education roughly 15 years ago, he called the fact that racial, ethnic and religious groups have expanded political rights in American society a “false premise,” noting his perspective that such advances would not have happened without the country’s white majority.
