Charlottesville Schools Superintendent Dr. Rosa Atkins will serve on Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s new commission to review Virginia’s history standards and instructional practices, content, and resources currently used to teach African American history in the Commonwealth.
“Virginia is the birthplace of our country, and it is so fitting that our Commonwealth would lead the way in these efforts,” said Dr. Atkins. “When I look at the makeup of the Commission and the individuals the Governor has selected, I feel really honored to be able to work with such talented people who are so passionate about understanding and teaching students about America’s total history.”
Governor Northam signed Executive Order Thirty-Nine, which establishes the Commission on African American History Education, during his speaking engagement at the 2019 Commemoration of the First African Landing, a ceremony to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in English-occupied North America at Point Comfort in 1619.
“The full history of Virginia is complex, contradictory, and often untold—and we must do a better job of making sure that every Virginia graduate enters adult life with an accurate and thorough understanding of our past, and the pivotal role that African Americans have played in building and perfecting our Commonwealth,” said Governor Northam. “The important work of this Commission will help ensure that Virginia’s standards of learning are inclusive of African American history and allow students to engage deeply, drawing connections between historic racial inequities and their continuous influence on our communities today.”
The Executive Order tasks the Commission with issuing a report no later than July 1, 2020, with recommendations for improving the student experience, including but not limited to:
- Technical edits to and recommendations for enriched standards related to African American history;
- Broader considerations for the full history and social studies standards review process; and
- Necessary professional development and instructional supports for all teachers to ensure culturally competent instruction.
“Right now our children in school are getting only part of our American history, and unfortunately, many of the attitudes that people have developed toward blacks stem from that narrow view of history, said Atkins. “We don’t want to go down a narrow path about contributions. We also want to bring to the forefront the heinous acts that were committed in order to enslave blacks in America. We want to tell that part of the story and set the record straight to hopefully help impact some of those attitudes.”
The Commonwealth first established its history and social science standards of learning in 1995. Since that time, the standards have been routinely updated based on feedback from practitioners, historians, and stakeholders. The work of the Commission will help inform the next history and social science standards review the state will undertake.
Additionally, the Virginia Department of Education will work with Virtual Virginia, WHRO Public Media, and committees of history and social science public school educators, university historians, and college professors to develop a new African American history course for high school students. Together, they will establish objectives and competencies to provide a foundation of knowledge and understanding of African American history.
This new elective will be available to all students in the Commonwealth virtually beginning in the fall of 2020. Its component digital parts will be accessible resources for students in numerous other history courses.
Along with Dr. Atkins, the Governor has appointed the following individuals to serve on the Commission:
- Dr. Derrick P. Alridge of Charlottesville, Professor of Education and Director of the Center for Race and Public Education in the South, Curry School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia
- Dr. Edward Ayers of Richmond, Professor of the Humanities, University of Richmond
- Jarvis E. Bailey of Fredericksburg, High School Administrator, Westmoreland County Public Schools and School Board Member, Fredericksburg City
- Maria D. Burgos of Prince William County, Supervisor of Global Learning and Culturally Responsive Instruction, Prince William County Public Schools
- Christy S. Coleman of Chesterfield, CEO, American Civil War Museum
- Dr. Robert N. Corley, III of Chesterfield, Associate Vice-Provost for Academic Affairs and Project Director, The Wallace Foundation’s University Principal Preparation Initiative, Virginia State University
- Pamela Croom of Hampton, President-Elect, Virginia PTA
- Dr. Andrew P. Daire of Moseley, Dean of the School of Education, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Crystal DeLong of Bedford, Teacher, Liberty High School, Bedford County Public Schools
- Beau Dickenson of Harrisonburg, President, Virginia Social Studies Leaders Consortium and Social Studies Supervisor, Rockingham County Public Schools
- Crystal M. Edwards of Lynchburg, Superintendent, Lynchburg City Schools
- Anne Marie Evans of Fluvanna County, Director of Education and Outreach–New American History, University of Richmond
- Dr. John K. Lee of Raleigh, Professor, North Carolina State University
- Makya Renée Little of Woodbridge, Parent Advocate and Florida A&M University Alumnus
- Dr. Monica Manns of Henrico, Director of Equity and Diversity, Henrico County Public Schools
- Basil Marin of Atlanta, Assistant Principal, DeKalb County Schools
- Tyrone Nelson of Henrico County, Chairman, Henrico County Board of Supervisors and Pastor, Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Church of Richmond
- Dr. Cassandra L. Newby-Alexander of Chesapeake, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Professor of History, Norfolk State University
- The Honorable Atif Qarni of Prince William, Secretary of Education, Commonwealth of Virginia
- Gloria Randolph-King of Roanoke, Retired Roanoke City Public Schools Administrator
- Rodney Robinson of Richmond, 2019 National Teacher of the Year
- Dr. Vanessa D. Thaxton-Ward of Hampton, Director, Hampton University Museum
- Pastor Michelle C. Thomas of Loudoun County, Founder and CEO, Loudoun Freedom Center and President, NAACP Loudoun Branch
- Dr. Dietra Trent of Halifax, Former Secretary of Education
- Dr. James F. Lane of Chesterfield, Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Dr. Alice Reilly of Alexandria, Educator, George Mason University
- Renita S. Williams of Chesapeake, Secondary Social Studies Instructional Supervisor, Newport News Public Schools
- Rodney Jordan of Norfolk, Co-Chair, Virginia School Boards Association Task Force on Students and Schools in Challenging Environments and School Board Member, Norfolk City
- Cainan Townsend of Farmville, Director of Education, Robert Russa Moton Museum
- Chris Van Tassell of Richmond, Program Coordinator and Educator, Virginia Museum of History & Culture
- Robert C. Watson of Williamsburg, Assistant Professor of History, Hampton University
- Dr. William E. White of Williamsburg, Visiting Distinguished Scholar, Christopher Newport University
- Jonathan C. Zur of Richmond, President and CEO, Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities
The full text of Executive Order Thirty-Nine can be found here.
Additional information about the Commission and its meetings will be available online here.
Related links
Whether dropping in to visit schools or hosting Parent University information workshops or swinging by bus stops with breakfast and books, our family engagement team is always looking for ways to connect schools and families.
The Charlottesville High School community held a dedication ceremony for the new Curtis Elder Track and Field Complex at CHS to honor the rich legacy of former CHS Track Coach Curtis Elder.
During the dedication ceremony that included members of the Elder family, the CHS football team, and many friends, colleagues, and former students, Superintendent Dr. Rosa Atkins remarked, “We can count the number of wins and championships, but we will never be able to count up all the lives touched by his mentorship and leadership in our schools and in our community.”
“I am overwhelmed, ” said Mrs. Elder. “I spend a lot of time walking on this track because it makes me feel close to him. He would be so pleased to see this beautiful facility, knowing current and future athletes in our community will benefit from it.”
Get ready for school by completing your back-to-school forms now!
10 teachers from Charlottesville City Schools are among the outstanding recipients of the 2019 Golden Apple Awards presented by Better Living Building Supply & Cabinetry.
