Mississippi senate bill 2718, puts into place in the public school system in Mississippi a requirement that civil right era history be taught and tested in all K-12 classrooms. The bill was passed in 2006 mandates that all public schools in Mississippi will be required to teach the Civil Rights movement in grades kindergarten through twelve. Mississippi schools have ignored teaching Civil Rights history in what many have called a culture of silence.
The new curriculum and teaching style is being taught in 10 pilot programs in Mississippi. Teachers in Mississippi will start workshops this month to educate themselves on the new curriculum. These workshops are being taught by the Department of Education along with the Fannie Lou Hamer National Institute on Citizenship and Democracy at Jackson State University, Teaching for Change in Washington, and the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation at the University of Mississippi.
The Southern Poverty Law center has reported a 50% increase in hate groups in the US since 2000. Teaching Civil Rights era history will help off-set the twenty-two currently active hate groups in Mississippi.
Title: Mississippi Mandates Civil Rights Classes In Schools
Source: The Christian Science Monitor 10/4/2009
URL: http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/1008/p25s02-usgn.html
Author: Carmen K. Sisson
Student Researcher: Kristin Laney
Faculty Evaluator: Dr. Elli
Sonoma State University: Sociology of Media, Fall 2009
Instructor: Peter Phillips, #05