McGraw-Hill textbook describing migrant patterns and referring to African slaves as "workers"
School textbooks in Texas have come under heavy criticism in recent years, most notably for teaching that slavery was a "side issue" to the Civil War, downplaying evolution while adding "creationism" to science textbooks and referring to African slaves brought to America as "immigrant workers."
After public outcry, the Texas State Board of Education considered allowing a group of university professors to do an academic review of the textbooks. Yesterday the Board of Education rejected the proposal, voting 8-7 with all Republicans on the board voting against the proposal. From Board vice chairman Thomas Ratliff, R-Mount Pleasant:
“I know that people are concerned about pointy headed liberals in the ivory tower making our process … worse,” he said. “Why wouldn’t we reach out to them and say let’s make sure these books are as factually accurate as possible?”Several board conservatives, though, questioned the need for a secondary review panel.
Beaumont Republican board member David Bradley said university professors are free “to bring forth errors now,” by communicating with the board.
The Board says they will consider changes to the review process, which currently consists of running the books past a panel of retired teachers. Republican Tincy Miller says it should stay out of the hands of college professors, who are apparently too highfalutin for their tastes:
“I don’t want to send a message that … we feel the college people are more important. I don’t want that,” she said.
So, for now, Texas students will continue studying textbooks that tell them Moses and the New Testament are the basis for Western democracy. And African slaves were really just immigrant workers.
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