RCAS board members, community members speak on proposed social studies standards

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - People across South Dakota are making their voices heard on the Department of Education’s new proposed social studies standards.

At Monday’s first public hearing on the controversial standards, it was revealed that the South Dakota Board of Education received 700 public comments on the proposed modifications.

615 of those comments were in opposition to the standards.

Rapid City residents, and RCAS board members discussed their thoughts at length during Tuesday night’s meeting.

Shaun Nielsen, the Rapid City social studies teacher who was the only educator to serve on the standards commission, attended the meeting, and said that he’s happy so many people are getting involved in the process.

”In the end, if the outcome is that we do move to these standards, that’s okay,” Nielsen said. “I just want people to be aware and understand that we want everybody’s voice to be heard.”

Nielsen has said that he does not support the standards as they’re currently written.