Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past. —George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-four, 1949

Equipping our K–12 students with an understanding of history and civics skills has never been more important than it is now, yet social studies has been deemphasized in the curriculum for at least one generation. On September 9, the Education Committee will be presenting Michelle Herczog, Ed.D., to explain the current directions and activities.

Dr. Herczog is uniquely qualified to speak on many topics of U.S. history and civics instruction. She has served as History–Social Science Consultant III for the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), as the Past President of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), as Vice-Chair of the California Instructional Quality Commission for the California State Board of Education, and as a member of the Social Studies Assessment, Curriculum and Instruction Committee of the Council of Chief State School Officers, which led the development of the College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards published by the NCSS. As the January 6 insurrection was occurring at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., she was being interviewed as a national panelist discussing the future of American history.

Dr. Herczog is involved with award-winning school and district programs, as well as those that are challenged. She continues her service as the History–Social Science Consultant for LACOE, serving eighty school districts across Los Angeles County. Her years of leadership at the local, state, and national levels uniquely position her to address the challenges our schools face in preparing students to participate fully in self-government. Please reserve Thursday, September 9, at 10:00 a.m. to join us for this informative virtual treat. Be sure to visit the LWV-PA website later this summer to register!