From the President of the Minnesota Council for the Social Studies on Executive Order Ending Racial Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling

“Social studies at its very nature is complicated because our country is a complex and complicated place. We see that through any honest and objective examination of the historical record.”

February 5, 2025 - I feel it's important to write to you in regard to the recent Executive Order entitled Ending Racial Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling, which was issued on January 29, 2025.

The language in this order is vague and subject to interpretation, which could have significant and far-reaching consequences in both our classrooms and society at large. This order impacts not only social studies educators across the state but also our colleagues in other disciplines such as language arts, science, arts, etc.

Whether teaching topics such as the Fugitive Slave Act, Black Codes during Reconstruction, Racial Segregation Policies, Dakota &/or Japanese Internment through military and Executive Orders, American Indian Boarding Schools, the assassination of individuals such as Harvey Milk, Martin Luther King Jr, the Tulsa Race Riots, Wounded Knee, it is inevitable that some may feel the subject matter does not promote "America's Greatness" and or "Patriotic education". This could be interpreted by some as "anti-American ideologies" and "indoctrination."

To turn a blind eye to practices and/or events in the past, however, leads to a subversion of the historic record.

Social studies at its very nature is complicated because our country is a complex and complicated place. We see that through any honest and objective examination of the historical record. The study of rights and duties of citizenship is messy, especially when systems and structures have restricted the rights and responsibilities of groups throughout our country’s history.

The critical thinking skills that social studies teachers help students develop through modeling civil discourse allows students not only to refine their own beliefs, challenge their preconceived notions, and expand on their understanding of complex issues. This foundation is desperately needed if we expect students, adults, colleagues, neighbors, and legislators to engage with others respectfully, think critically about complex issues, and navigate disagreements constructively. If we are prepared to invest in social studies and civic education in our schools, we will have the opportunity to foster a more healthy and inclusive democracy. Social studies provides the perfect opportunity to discuss and debate controversial topics, which are essential to raising informed citizens. We must safeguard this right at a time when others seek to remove it.

This executive order, though, is not the first attempt to suppress historic context. This past year, several lawmakers in Minnesota, and in numerous other states, introduced legislation to stop what was deemed as “radical social studies standards”. This is in addition to proposed legislation over the past several sessions aimed to curtail contemporary controversial issues in the classroom. We can’t afford to not talk about controversial issues in our schools! Our country was created through controversy. Every twist and turn it has taken has been controversial. The very nature of political (or any) discourse in our country is controversial.

The state of Minnesota has adopted social studies standards that require teachers to talk about topics that may be delicate in nature - topics that do not always paint the actions of individuals, groups, or government entities in the brightest of lights. Again, our country is a complex & complicated place.

As social studies educators, we have been equipped through our academic training and ongoing professional development to recognize the importance of presenting a truthful and comprehensive account of history. This includes analyzing historical events through primary sources and multiple perspectives. It is essential to encourage inquiry into the reasons behind the preservation of and/or absence of certain narratives. We must continue to provide students with opportunities to engage in objective and critical examination of history, enabling them to make well-informed decisions regarding the enduring impact of historical events.


Mark J. Westpfahl

President, Minnesota Council for the Social Studies