Don't know much about history? Don't know much about geography?

On Monday, I attended a State Board of Education work session on the components of a meaningful high school diploma. And though I’m sure this wasn’t the intention, the meeting came off as a bit of a death match between subjects, each vying for their place in Washington’s new diploma. One by one, OSPI experts presented their case for their subject area and the number of credits a student should receive to graduate. The math and science experts had it easy—we all know students need more credits of these. So did English—it’s a no-brainer that students should be required to graduate with four credits.

But what about social studies?

Over the years, social studies has transformed into a proverbial catch-all to include everything from world history to U.S. government to economics. Currently, Washington requires only 2.5 credits of social studies to graduate. State law requires that Washington history be included—although most districts have moved this requirement to 7^th grade. Washington Tribal history and culture is currently being considered as an additional requirement. And while many districts require three full credits of social studies, there appears to be no standardized pathway or progression through the subject (i.e. American history, then U.S. government).

Confused? I bet the students are.

Social studies is clearly a problem and one that we may not realize the consequences of ignoring. Just yesterday, I read USA Today and New York Times articles reporting a widespread lack of historical literacy amongst today’s high school students. Apparently among 1,200 students nationally surveyed, only 52 percent could identify a historical theme from the book “1984” and only 51 percent knew that McCarthyism focused on communism.

Unfortunately, social studies is exactly the place students make the connections between Miller’s “The Crucible” and McCarthyism, and Orwell’s “1984” and current Homeland Security. Sure, students could “get by” without these historical connections—but the State Board’s mission in revising the diploma is to ensure that students don’t just “get by,” they “do well.”

By requiring students to take more and richer social studies curriculum, we give them the keys to orient themselves within history and society at large. In classes like American history and world cultures, I certainly found connections between the past and present that made laws more understandable and current events make more sense.

All students should have this chance, but as a state and an education system, it is up to us to make it a priority. Let’s hope the State Board does