Texas debates the way history will be taught

April Castro:

Students, parents and lawmakers lobbied Wednesday for more diversity in Texas’ social studies curriculum, before the state board of education adopts new classroom standards that will determine how history is taught for the next decade.
In more than six hours of public testimony, dozens of people took their chance to help shape the way millions of Texas school children learn topics from the Roman Empire to the entrepreneurial success of billionaire Bill Gates.
The public hearing sets up a tentative vote Thursday on the new standards. But, as usual in votes before the conservative-led board, the wide-reaching guidelines are full of potential ideological flashpoints.