A&M Professor Shares Views on Texas Textbook Debate
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Updated: 3:22 PM Mar 9, 2010
A&M Professor Shares Views on Texas Textbook Debate
The ongoing debate on what should, and shouldn't, be included in Texas textbooks had a Texas A&M professor weighing in on the topic on Fox News.
Posted: 10:45 PM Mar 8, 2010
Reporter: Joe Brown
Email Address: brown@kbtx.com
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The ongoing debate on what should, and shouldn't, be included in Texas textbooks had a Texas A&M professor weighing in on the topic on Fox News.

James Kracht also serves on the review committee that oversees changes in text book content.

Critics like Dallas-based Liberty Institute say the process is being hijacked by political correctness. A point Kracht concedes is happening in some cases.

"One of the craziest examples was the removal of Christmas and replacing it with Diwali as one of the studies of the religious holidays," said Kelly Shackelford, Liberty Institute Attorney. "That's something that didn't go over very well and the board unanimously overturned that."

Kracht responded, "I think there are political agendas by board members and by outside sources that want certain names in the text and would rather have certain names out of the text."

A final decision on Texas textbooks isn't expected until May. The topic is getting national attention because other states follow the textbook lead of Texas since it is one of the top buyers of books each year.


Latest Comments

Posted by: Jason Location: HOUSTON on Mar 10, 2010 at 08:31 PM

My science students in Houston ISD didn't have textbooks. The department head said to speak with the VP. The VP had me write the Principal. The Principal didn't get us books and after two months. I went over his head. After three months we had text books for each student. We had 40 students in classes that did labs. The legal limit for classes with labs was 32. They asked me to break the law as my job...and the AC didn't function and the desks were wet with humidity. Ghettofabulous!
Posted by: Jay Location: Marble Falls on Mar 9, 2010 at 10:42 PM

Replace Christmas with the hindu Diwali??? As the really nice, Adolph Hitler once said, "Let me control the textbooks and I will control the state". That is NOT what I want for our future generations.
Posted by: Anne Location: College Station on Mar 9, 2010 at 12:36 PM

It's not just social studies. In our Spanish book the adjective "moreno" is not taught. It means dark skinned, dark complected. It is the way people of color in most (if not all) Latin American countries refer to themselves. It's not a disrespectful word. But this publisher did not bring it out. More than likely out of political correctness.
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