New textbooks for Texas…but not for California?

The School Board of the state of Texas adopted a “new” curriculum last week for social studies and history in its schoolbooks.

It “weakens” or changes, (depending on your political leaning) the history most know of slavery, civil rights struggles in ’60’s and U.S. relationship and involvement with the United Nations as well as hundreds of other items. The changes were brought about with a conservative stamp of approval and hailed by Republicans throughout the state of Texas.  This new take on education will be used to teach 5 million Texas students for the next 10 years.

Of course Texas should be allowed to teach in any manner they it chooses and with that many students they will have no  trouble finding a publisher, however, what is of great significance to other states is that textbook printers sometimes use books designed for Texas in other states.

In California, State Senator Leland Yee has introduced legislation ( SB1451) to protect the largest school system in the United States (California) from using books containing the “revised studies” adopted in Texas.  Critics say the changes are historically inaccurate and minimize the efforts of minority contributions to U.S. hisotry.

For complete coverage of the story go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/13/education/13texas.html