Resolution against the state’s proposed social studies standards was accepted in Wednesday’s city council meeting

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - In Wednesday’s Rapid City Legal and Finance meeting, a resolution expressing opposition to the state’s proposed social studies standards was approved.

In August 2022, Governor Kristi Noem released a revised proposal for the social studies standards in public schools.

The standards sparked outrage from parents, educators, and even some city council members.

“The quality of our schools is vital to the future of Rapid City. You talk about the economic impact when people want to move here, or build here, or bring a business here, one of the things they always look at is the quality of our schools. And this is something that would keep people away from rapid city, would keep businesses from coming to rapid city, and that economic impact is huge,” said Patrick Jones, City Councilman, Ward 1.

Jones went on to say that during COVID, when students were learning from home, many people saw how difficult it is to be a teacher.

The South Dakota Education Association said in a previous statement that these new standards “discourage inquiry-based learning and emphasize rote memorization, adding native American history and south Dakota history as ‘afterthoughts’.”

“I think the politics has its nose in where teachers belong. The people who are actually in the classrooms, teaching other people’s kids all day long and then going home at night and correcting papers all night long, and doing that over and over and over. Those individuals, those professionals are saying this is not helpful,” said Rapid City Mayor Steve Allender.

Councilman Jason Salamun made a point to support education and what was put before the council, but he believes that this issue isn’t something that belongs in the city council.

The resolution will make its way to the full city council meeting on Monday.

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