Multicultural Social Studies: The Local History Connection
inctthe mid 1990s, efforts to S reform the K-12 curriculum by rendering it more attentive to the inclusive themes of multicultural education have largely been overshadowed by the adoption of state and national standards and the drive to assess students through high-stakes tests. Although conversations among educators in the 1980s and early 1990s revolved around the adoption of the new, more culturally diverse texts and curriculum materials, they now appear to be narrowly focused on standard\ and accountability (Singer 1999). Media pronouncements, such as the ono in my local newspaper proclaiming. “Teaching diversity squelches basics.” have no doubt helped to sway public opinion away from support for multicultural reform (McQueen 1999, A6). Meanwhile, conflicted classroom teachers \eek to prepare their students to succeed o n rigorous standardized tests, as well as for life after school in an ever more diverse American society.