Scottsdale Unified School District Unveils Revolutionary Social Justice American History Curriculum

By Staff Reporter |

The Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) is poised to adopt a new American history curriculum centered on social justice themes. The SUSD Social Sciences Curriculum Adoption Committee has recommended the textbook “US History: Interactive,” authored by Emma J. Lapsansky-Werner, Peter B. Levy, Randy Roberts, and Alan Taylor, from the Savvas Learning Company.

This recommendation has sparked debate among parents, who believe the textbook reshapes American history through a social justice framework. Their concerns focus particularly on the portrayal of race relations. The textbook suggests that racism toward Black Americans persists, stating, “Although Barack Obama’s election as president showed that real racial progress has been made, other events during his presidency suggested that racism remained a problem in the country.”

In its treatment of George Floyd’s death in 2020, the textbook presents law enforcement actions without critical context. It does not address findings from the medical examiner’s report, which indicated pre-existing health issues and the presence of significant fentanyl levels as contributory factors. Notably, during the trial of Derek Chauvin, the charged officer, the medical examiner confirmed there was no evidence of asphyxiation present.

Additionally, the book describes the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement as a continuation of the Civil Rights Movement, labeling its protests as “generally peaceful.” It further distinguishes between BLM protests and the subsequent riots, stating, “destructive riots did break out in some cities at night,” while questioning the connection between protestors and rioters.

At a recent board meeting, committee members defended their recommendation, citing alignment with course descriptions, resources for diverse learners, and overall value for the district. However, community pushback has been strong, with some parents asserting that the curriculum is filled with “biased narratives.” One community member articulated a broader concern, stating, “This is exactly what parents do not want for their children and is why they are moving out of the public school.”

The proposed curriculum would incur a cost of approximately $146,000, part of a total budget request of $674,000. The SUSD Governing Board is set to vote on this curriculum during its meeting on May 13.