Curriculum is at its root, the pinnacle of education. It is what we deem as important for children to learn, how it is to be instructed, and what objectives it will accomplish for the students. The way we formulate curriculum however, often varies and is influenced by outside forces as explained by Levin. The process of curriculum comes from a delicate balance of multiple factors at once. Politicians ultimately pass the bills but we as voters are the ones who elect them to take these stances. They are also influenced by personal beliefs based sometimes not necessarily what is right, but what people want to hear. Unaccounted factors such as time, opposition and lack of experience in classrooms are also absent when making these decisions. However, the greatest oversight in my eyes that is addressed by Levin is the variability in curriculum.

I have been aware of different provinces/states having different curriculums but examples such as Katia’s story about teaching in the states and seeing how “what is deemed important” amongst these places is frightening. As Levin describes, there is no possibility of avoiding some political possibility, but I have never really considered how drastically that can influence what we teach children. Another eye open for myself was the thought of how many people are strongly opinionated but also very uneducated on what they are voting for when electing some politicians when it comes to implementing these additions. Many people vote based on their own personal experience which in turn, influences them to support certain bills, whether they are best or not. The frightening thought of making ambiguous objectives without considering the specific repercussions. Many subjects are included in these curriculums but not enforced or even just added and never followed upon.

I think the Treaty Education is a prime example of how curriculum is influenced by politics. Personally treaty education is crucial and important to understand a culture we have stolen and understand our responsibility and role in reconciliation. This has however, been a highly contested issue in our country amongst citizens on the importance and relevance in school. It is in the curriculum but the problem is it not always taught. Reading through the first few pages of the document, I am left with a message that the government has done this because they feel obligated to but not because they find it important. How can we expect teachers to educate the youth on important subjects such as Treaty education when the Government who mandates the curriculum, doesn’t share that sentiment?