Dr. Rebecca Garland, Chief Academic Officer for North
Carolina Department of Public Instruction testified this afternoon
before the
Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee.  After the recent
uproar over the proposed changes in the history curriculum and as Stoop explains  here,  here,  here,  here,  here and here , she had some 
?splaining? to do.  

Turns out most of it was FOX News? fault.  DPI had some ideas to change history
instruction and sent a draft proposal with those changes to social studies
teachers for their input. The draft also was posted on the DPI website so
others could take a look at what DPI had in mind.  One of those social studies teachers, instead of calling DPI
with feedback as they had been instructed, was alarmed about the changes and
called FOX news.  Good grief!  Next thing you know, FOX interviews
Stoops, the word is out and soon people who had not even been asked for their
opinion were calling and emailing DPI, outraged over the changes. 

DPI was inundated with 7,000 emails
with poor Dr. Garland getting over 1,000 herself.  As she explained to the committee, ?It has taken a lot of
time to clear up erroneous information.?    

Garland?s complaint about the FOX report was that they
referred to the changes in the history curriculum as a ?proposal? and did not
call it ?Draft.10?.  DPI posted the
draft to gather feedback but she seemed surprised and offended when they got
it.  She accused FOX news of being
untruthful, irresponsible and guilty of sensationalism.

  Although DPI has not always asked for public input, Garland
said the public was demanding transparency and DPI wanted the process to be
open and transparent. But she complained that when you post something on the Internet,
it can be sent anywhere. And anyone can respond.  Even FOX News, even the news media and even citizens,
parents, taxpayers and anyone who cares about teaching history.   

 Garland explained that ?Draft .01? was the first step; DPI
would continue to modify and ?polish? the history curriculum changes and will undergo several additional drafts before settling on a final plan.  And now hopefully,  thanks to FOX News and reports
from the Locke Foundation, those changes will be made with lots of consideration
and input from concerned citizens across the state.    After all, isn?t that what open government is all about?