Students in Crowley ISD will be able to take a class in Native American studies next year for the first time.
The district near Fort Worth is adding the course in an effort to enhance its ethnic studies offerings.
The district prides itself on its diversity, said Chief Academic Officer Anna Roe.
“It's like the number one thing that our families value about our school district is the diversity,” she said. “So, we know that if our curriculum does not reflect that diversity, then we're not living up to what we really, truly believe.”
Crowley wanted to develop a cross-cultural understanding that allowed students to see themselves within the curriculum.
Since 2020 the district has offered African American and Mexican American studies, which take a deep look at the cultures’ relevance in U.S. history.
“We know history is larger than just the United States history, and we just value those diverse perspectives and voices and really wanted to create the space to explore,” Roe said”
Native American studies was first brought to the state by nearby Grand Prairie ISD. It was approved by the Texas Education Agency in 2019.
The course will look as far back as the pre-Columbian era, studying Native tribes throughout the United States and addressing misconceptions about American Indian tribes.
Although teachers will be provided training and materials to accurately lecture over the summer, students will facilitate the dialog in class to encourage them to dive into the curriculum to find, process, and discuss the information among their peers.
“It's more so for the students to think through how this information has changed your perspective,” said executive director of school leadership Clarence Williams, “and then to think about how to project in the future of how to be a problem solver for the future based on information that they have seen in the past.”
Crowley ISD will offer Native American studies for grades 10 through 12 in the 2024-25 school year with the opportunity to earn college credit.
At a time when some states are restricting ethnic studies and Texas bans discussions about “critical race theory ”, the Crowley ISD community has had nothing but positive responses towards the curriculum, Roe said, and is pushing for more courses in the future. Williams said the courses allow students to see themselves represented in the classroom and provide a resource that reflects their own cultural identity.
“If we can provide more opportunities for children to learn about who they are and their families and their contributions to our American culture, I believe it just makes us as a country better when we're able to do that,” Williams said.
