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Black Studies Changed

Black Studies Changed image
Parent Issue
Day
2
Month
April
Year
1970
Copyright
Copyright Protected
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
OCR Text

A change this September, from a one-semester elective in Black History for snniors cnly to a twosemester elective in a more comprehensive "Black Studies" program for both juniors and seniors at Ann Arbor's senior high schools, was approved last night by the Board of Education. Also approved was a recommendation to make a supplementary text, dealing with Black History for senior-high American history courses, required for student purchase. The recommendations for changes came from the Secondary Council of the Ann Arbor Public Schools, composed of administrators and principáis. One of the demands of the Pioneer High Black students in Febroary was for "more black history in American histcry courses, and revisión of criteria for the black history courses so that all students may take it." Dr. Sam M. Sniderman, assistant superintendent for instruction, said the Black Studies course will be exaroined during the 1970-71 school year "as a possible alternative to the present social studies graduation requirement of a year of American history." Other alternatives to the American history requirement also will be explored next year, he added. Sniderman said he also recommends that the teachers of Black Studies have academie course work in the disciplines "appropriate to the areas covered in Black Studies." In-service programs to help prepare teachers for an "integrated curriculum" are planned, he said. The new Black Studies course will be interdisciplinary, covering such fields as history, literature, art, economics and sociology. It will be "richer than a history offering" and will give students a "more comprehensive understanding of the black experience by viewing it from a variety of perspectives," Sniderman explained. He also said the Black Studies class will concéntrate more on the present or recent past than a plain history course would. Trustee Paul H. Johnson was the only board member to vote against the changes in black studies, saying they planted "seeds of confrontation" and "pitted" black history against American history.