Letter from Studies Weekly CEO regarding inaccuracies in older curriculum
Insensitivities within one of their older publications is why they continue to review, edit, and update hundreds of older publications across 50 states in six grades.
OREM, Utah, Oct. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- From John McCurdy, CEO of Studies Weekly -- On Friday, Oct. 2, a parent reached out regarding inaccuracies and insensitivities regarding tribal history within one of our online publications. We agree that the unit contained inaccuracies and bias. Upon investigation, we found that this material was written back when Studies Weekly leveraged a crowdsource approach of utilizing freelance educational writers to create curriculum.
This inaccuracy, insensitivity, and bias is a perfect example of why we changed our processes more than two years ago, stopped utilizing crowdsourcing, and launched our first self-audit in 2018. A year later, EdWeek released an article about our internal review of our older publications. Our revision process is still ongoing.
In removing old Eurocentric biases, we are reviewing hundreds of older publications across 50 states in six grades. We first address articles, teacher editions, and then the assessments. Edits or substitutions are made to ensure accurate, inclusive, and culturally sensitive corrections.
As we develop new curriculum, it is completed in collaboration with scholars from different racial, religious, and underrepresented communities, our own internal task force, members of the Library of Congress, the National Constitution Center, the Smithsonian, and the Anti-Defamation League. These groups advise us as we plan content for future publications and expand the online content.
We appreciate those who take the time to share their concerns as we continue to improve and update the older curriculum.
SOURCE Studies Weekly
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