Fourth-grade textbook’s take on Connecticut slavery scrutinized

NORWALK, Conn. — Norwalk public school officials will yank hundreds of social studies books from fourth grade classrooms across the district in January after a mother raised concerns over the book teaching her fourth grade daughter that slaves in Connecticut were cared for like family members.

The concerns with the book, “The Connecticut Adventure,” were raised to district officials Nov. 29 and prompted an immediate internal review of its use and how it addressed slavery in the state, district officials said.

Less than a week later, officials announced they would cease use of the book in classrooms by Jan. 3, 2017, calling the content in the textbook about slavery “inaccurate,” “simplistic” and “offensive to many.”

“The portion of the textbook minimizes the impact and implications of slavery from the perspective of many constituents in the Norwalk community,” said Michael T. Conner, Chief Academic Officer for Norwalk Public Schools, in a letter addressed to parents and guardians of the district’s fourth grade students.

The 250-page book was published in 2001 by Gibbs Smith Publishing and written by author John W. Ifkovic.

In a chapter discussing the history of slaves in Connecticut, the book states, “Compared to other colonies, Connecticut did not have many slaves. Some people owned one or two slaves. They often cared for and protected them like members of the family. They taught them to be Christian, and sometimes to read and write.”

Officials at Gibbs Smith Publishing did not immediately return Hearst Connecticut Media’s calls or emails for comment.

Gibbs Smiths publishes textbooks on various subjects used across the country. “The Connecticut Adventure” has been taken up by districts throughout the state of Connecticut. Similar textbooks have been produced for several states by the publisher.

Brenda Wilcox Williams, school district spokeswoman, said students have used the book in 10 out of 12 of the Norwalk elementary schools, dating back to at least 2007.

Officials weren’t sure precisely how long the book has been used or who selected it due to turnover in central office staff since that time.

Williams did say the decision to remove the book has been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback.

Besides comments directed to the district, dozens of parents and community leaders took to social media to applaud the district for making the decision and for doing so in a timely manner.

“When it was brought to our attention it was pretty clear it wasn’t consistent with our core beliefs and values,” Williams said. “We felt it was important to respond quickly as a result of that.

“It’s also a sign that there has been a lot of change in the district and that we are moving toward a district that is responsive to the community …”

Michelle Zacks, on behalf of her role as associate director of the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition at Yale University, which seeks to bridge the divide between scholarship and public knowledge of slavery, expressed support for the school district’s actions.

“The degree of brutality connected with slavery in Connecticut varied on a case-by-case basis here and throughout the nation. But the basic fact that enslaved people in this state were bought and sold as though they were livestock or inanimate objects was profoundly dehumanizing and placed them in a much different social status than ‘family,’ ” Zacks said. “The Norwalk Public Schools’ decision to withdraw the textbook and re-examine the treatment of slavery in its curriculum is a positive step toward helping Connecticut students and all of us understand the dehumanizing nature of slavery as well as the ways that African Americans resisted this treatment.”

The history of Connecticut, including information about the state’s treatment of slaves, has historically been introduced to students at the fourth-grade level.

As to whether the students who were already exposed to the book’s content will be retaught, will be up to a committee composed of central office administrators and curriculum directors in the coming weeks.

That committee will also work through the month of December to identify other resources used to teach the social studies curriculum, such as online materials, in lieu of the textbooks come January.

That means the district won’t have to come up with the funds to purchase replacement books, at least until officials work to meet their long-term goal of updating the fourth grade social studies curriculum to be aligned to the new College, Career, and Civic Life Social Studies Framework adopted by the state in 2015.

Officials hope to develop an ad hoc committee to make a recommendation for an official program adoption by May 2017. At that time a book that aligns with the new program may be selected.

KSchultz@thehour.com; 203-354-1049; @kevinedschultz