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Marble Falls City Council members quizzed the leadership of the local school district May 18 to gain insight about graduation numbers, longrange plans and curriculum philosophy at the district.
Marble Falls ISD Superintendent Chris Allen was invited to speak at the meeting, offered a COVID-19 response presentation (See related story on Page 1) and took questions from council members.
A question posed by Councilman Dave Rhodes involved a controversial curriculum known as the 1619 Project.
The curriculum, launched by the New York Times Magazine, seeks to debunk American founding principles and infuse school curriculum nationwide with a reframing of United States history that places slavery and oppression at the core of the eventual founding of the nation.
The project has spawned movements including efforts toward Critical Race Theory curriculum and training support, which seeks to reframe the relationship between white people and all other races as “oppressors” and “oppressed,” respectively.
“There’s a lot from the talking heads – maybe not necessarily in Texas – but what do you see or do you have the ability and the will to resist some of the new curriculums we’re hearing about like the 1619 (Project)? “
Allen explained that the school district curriculum is established by Texas Essential Knowledge of Skills.
“(The school) curriculum is written by the State Board of Education,” he said. “That curriculum is set in place by the State of Texas.
“Clearly, teachers have the opportunities to interpret or enhance that curriculum as you may afford,” he added. “At Marble Falls ISD we work very closely with our parents and our community to make sure that our curriculum accurately captures and reflects the values of this community.”
One of the main points of contention over the curriculum involves views that the American Revolution was fought to preserve the institution of slavery, instead of the perspective held by researchers, historians and scholars that the colonist fought to resist British rule.
“The 1619 Project I just don’t find to be at a place where there’s enough research base to even consider it for a discussion against the history of the teaching strategies that we’ve used around the history of the United States at this point,” Allen explained to the council.
“Right now I wouldn’t expect there to be any significant changes in the curriculum because they won’t happen at the state level, and in fact, we don’t have a reason to move in that direction as a district,” he added.
Rhodes said: “I appreciate your answer. Knowing you – not just here – I have every confidence in the curriculums that you approve.”
Allen responded that “It’s a group effort and what I love is that this is a place that puts a high premium on transparency and accountability, so I appreciate those words, but let’s work together to not let anybody, myself included, color too far outside the lines. I appreciate that.”
In other discussion, Councilman Reed Norman asked about potential considerations for future growth.
Allen responded: “Part of that long-range plan includes the potential for another bond program within the next five years.
“The next building that I would anticipate looking at in that plan would be a 5-6 campus (fifth and sixth-grade intermediate school),” he said. “That would take 300 students out of the middle school; take another 300 students out of all of our elementary schools combined.”
Some of the long-range recommendations involved expanding or additional new facilities in seven to 10 years.
“The core facilities at the high school are in pretty solid shape,” Allen added. “With the renovations that we’re doing there now, we’ve been able to more than double, more like triple our capacity of what we can do in our cafeterias.”
Other expansions with population growth could include future additions to the high school, a potential seventh and eighth-grade facility on the intermediate school campus site and a potential additional elementary school.
Also, Councilman Craig Magerkurth asked about size and percentages involving the 2021 graduating class.
Allen explained the senior graduating size is about 250 students; 70 percent have been accepted into a college; and four are going into the military (typically the number is about six).