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Philadelphia plans to overhaul its social studies curriculum developed by district staff that has come under fire from congressional Republicans.
The district will standardize its curriculum “in partnership with national experts,” according to transcripts of a U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee interview last month with Superintendent Tony Watlington released Wednesday.
The committee’s investigation into alleged antisemitism in Philadelphia and two other districts began last year, putting schools under scrutiny in a charged political climate. Watlington did not say whether the curriculum review was a result of the investigation, or when changes would begin. But the resulting plan will have ramifications across district schools.
Philly’s current social studies curriculum was written by district teachers and administrators. Experts have previously commended it for mandating an African American history course.
But the House committee’s report alleges the curriculum promotes an “ideology justifying violent resistance,” legitimizes “radical groups that incite antisemitism,” and “train(s) students to be far-left activists as … early as second grade.”
It points to world history lessons on resistance movements, imperialism, settler colonialism, and the philosopher Frantz Fanon as evidence.
District spokesperson Monique Braxton said in a statement Thursday that the committee’s report “distorts and mischaracterizes our record.” The district “objects to the blatantly partisan framing,” she added. The statement did not refer to Watlington’s comments about curriculum, and the district did not respond to questions about it.
In the House committee’s transcripts, Watlington said the district’s review of its social studies curriculum began shortly after he appointed a new chief academic officer on July 1.
Watlington said his plan for social studies is similar to how the district replaced its math, reading, and science curriculum in recent years with nationally vetted materials.
“We want to sunset individuals in the district writing curricula,” Watlington told the committee. “We don’t think it’s appropriate, and we think that national experts, quite frankly, are better trained to do this.”
District officials did not respond to questions about when they plan to roll out the new curriculum.
The current curriculum was updated beginning in 2022 under the leadership of Ismael Jimenez, the district’s former director of social studies.
In the interview, House lawmakers pressed Watlington about Jimenez, whom some conservative groups have previously targeted for his political opinions. Jewish groups have also criticized Jimenez for how he described the Israel-Hamas war.
Watlington told the committee Jimenez is currently “in a termination proceeding.”
In a statement Thursday, Jimenez said he stands behind the curriculum he and other educators developed, and has “serious concerns that I am being made a scapegoat.” He added that his termination from the district is “pending.”
“We spent years doing serious intellectual work, developing curriculum grounded in historical inquiry, evidence, and civic reasoning,” Jimenez said. “Teaching students about colonialism, resistance, economic inequality, or injustice is not indoctrination. These are essential parts of understanding history and the world we live in.”
Rebecca Redelmeier is a reporter at Chalkbeat Philadelphia. She writes about public schools, early childhood education, and issues that affect students, families, and educators across Philadelphia. Contact Rebecca at rredelmeier@chalkbeat.org.