A revised set of North Carolina's state social studies standards now under consideration omits the Paleolithic, according to WFAE radio in Charlotte (January 30, 2020), meaning that human evolution would no longer be mentioned in sixth-grade world history courses.
WFAE observed, "Some who embrace a biblical account of creation take issue with scientific theories," adding that the Department of Public Instruction "hasn't explained why the Paleolithic Era was eliminated, and the official in charge of the review didn’t answer when WFAE asked for an explanation."
In a letter sent to state officials, Kenneth Dailey, a sixth-grade social studies teacher in Charlotte, commented, "The new standards as written represent a bias, intentional or otherwise, away from science and remove a valid and evidence-driven explanation for early modern man's development of both self and civilization."
Similarly, a state teacher's group called Red4EdNC described the omission as "very problematic," observing that "for 90%+ of human history, people lived as hunters and gatherers, and that that economic and social system has profound impacts (thanks to evolution) on our brain processes and social constructs."
A state education official told WFAE that the next draft of the standards is expected to address the Paleolithic. The state is accepting public comments on the current draft of the social studies standards until February 15, 2020, with the second draft expected in March 2020.
