A Case of Identity

Recently I was talking with a long time friend about a program he was working on to help improve the quality of life in a New Jersey community. In that situation one of the problems is that the community does not have a sense of its own community identity. That would be sad in any situation, but it is particularly sad in this case because the community has a rich history that has apparently been forgotten. Unfortunately much the same thing could be said of our state – we lack a sense of our identity, in large measure because we don’t know our own rich history.

At least part of the reason for this is that New Jersey history is not adequately studied in our public schools. Unfortunately there is now a very real risk that the situation will get worse. The State Board of Education will shortly consider new guidelines for teaching social studies in the our state schools – guidelines that put less, not more emphasis on New Jersey history.

In fact, according to a number of social studies educators, the new guidelines hardly mention New Jersey beyond the Revolutionary War. Among other things this could eliminate the teaching of New Jersey’s role in the Civil War, the Underground Railroad, industrialization and immigration. Especially upsetting to me is the possible elimination of teaching about New Jersey in the Civil War. With the 150th anniversary of the Civil War just two years ago the timing couldn’t be worse. This is especially true since an all volunteer group, that I am fortunate to chair, has put New Jersey in the lead among northern states in planning for the observation of this anniversary.

Just one sentence of a joint statement by social studies educators speaks volumes on this issue. “The 1947 New Jersey Constitution made radical changes in state and local government and brought the state to the forefront of progressive reforms that provided a model for other states to follow.” How many of us know anything about that? Yet, it is something that should make all of us proud to live in New Jersey. Couldn’t such justifiable pride help shape our identity as a state and, therefore, help us be the kind of state we can and should be.

Time is running out on this issue as approval of these standards could come as early as this month. This is a time for action. Please write the Commissioner of Education who serves as the Secretary of the State Board of Education at State Board of Education, 100 River View Plaza, P.O. Box 500, Trenton, NJ 08625.