What do you think about this?
By now you might have heard the controversy brewing over the Texas School Board's decision to include Conservative revisions to social studies and economics curriculum.
The Conservative version of the standards, which will affect the way textbooks will be written, was recently approved with a vote of 10 to 5 along party lines, with all Republicans on the board voting in favor of it.
Since January, Republicans on the board have passed more than 100 ammendments to the 120-page curriculum standards.
The conservative members on the board say that they are trying to correct years of liberal bias. There were no historians, sociologists or economists consulted by the board during the meetings.
Read the article and let me know what you think.
Posted by John-John Williams IV at 10:08 AM | Permalink
| Comments (6)
Categories: Around the Nation
Categories: Around the Nation
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
Another reason not to move to Texas. I can't imagine something similar happening in Maryland, thankfully.
Posted by: a parent | March 30, 2010 5:03 PM
@a parent: The reason this is especially newsworthy (aggravating? scary?) is that it is not just a Texas issue. Rather, the standards are the basis for textbooks used all over the country, including Maryland. (I'm still unclear on why Texas is the "chosen state.")
See this quote from the NY Times article:
"The standards, reviewed every decade, serve as a template for textbook publishers, who must come before the board next year with drafts of their books."
Posted by: Anonymous | March 30, 2010 5:47 PM
The problem is this. Texas is a huge market. What they get is what we all get because they buy so many books! So, get ready for low level, no science, conservative texts. VERY SCARY!
Posted by: wise educator | March 31, 2010 6:57 PM
I have been reading about this issue for weeks. Texas and California have always been the standard bearers in terms of textbook purchases. Now that California is in the "red," Texas has emerged as the state with the most influence on how textbooks are put together. These choices WILL impact textbooks in the State of Maryland and we are correct to be concerned about these issues. When certain groups are not included because they are too liberal for the committee, everyone has the right to be concerned about censorship which is exactly what is happening. This procedure is no different from book banning or verbal censure of a speaker. How can we make these publishing companies pay attention to the balance of information needed to properly educate our students? Maybe buy textbooks on a regular basis like we once did--not just when they need to be replaced due to loss or damage. Some systems haven't bought new texts in over 10 years for social studies classes. That is criminal. Until we start insisting that books reflect what we want as well by purchasing necessary texts, we will be stuck with what other states want us to learn.
Posted by: vetern teacher | April 1, 2010 9:38 PM
Why would all comments need to be approved by the blog author. That reeks of censorship. Sorry, but will forevermore avoic this forum unless that changes; this is what is scary, not he Texas Board.
Posted by: Eric Lewandowski | April 1, 2010 11:31 PM
Hey Eric, it's pretty standard among bloggers to approve comments. It is rarely based on an effort to stop the free exchange of ideas. Keep in mind that if anyone could post then you would be reading a lot of ads for Nike shoes or Viagra. Sometimes people who don't understand copyright laws will post long excerpts from someone else's writing. We sure don't want any of the nice people here at the Sun being sued for copyright violations.
Give it some thought.
Posted by: Dana LaRocca | April 7, 2010 1:12 AM