Textbook Adoption - Tuesday, June 10

We mentioned textbook adoption here before.

The School Board's Innovation and School Reform committee will be making their decision about the social studies text on Tuesday, June 10.

More from MTEA Executive Board member Bob Peterson:

Dear colleagues,

On Tuesday, June 10 the Innovation and School Reform Committee of the Milwaukee School Board will consider adoption of new social studies textbook series for kindergarten through 5th grade, 6th and 7th grade, and 8th grade. The K-5th grade adoption will cost $3,152,175 (about $75 per student).

The series that is up for adoption is Houghton Mifflin Social Studies, 2008. I encourage people to take a critical look at the texts on the matter of race and other issues.

My read of the 800-page fifth grade US History textbook is that is so lacking, that the school board NOT adopt the series, at least not the fifth grade component of it.
For example, the book never once mentions the word "racism." It mentions the word "discrimination" only once in the text. The words "stereotype" and "anti-semitism" don't appear. The words "Puerto Ricans" don't appear. While there is lengthy description of some Native American nations prior to the Europeans coming to the Americas, the summation is "The Columbian Exchange benefitted people all over the world." (p. 98) Oh really? The Native Americans? What kind of history is that?

For a more in-depth examination of the curricular silences found in this and most other textbooks, read the editorial in the current issue of Rethinking Schools.

Proponents of adoption of this series will argue that "none of the major textbook companies" mention race or deal with racism in their books. That may be true. But does it mean that we should just continue the mindless practice of adopting inadequate (racist) texts every seven years? When will we?

Perhaps in this historical year when an African American is a major candidate for the US Presidency, it is time for the educators in Milwaukee and the School Board to tell the textbook companies that we want textbooks that serve the needs of and reflect our multiracial student population.

SO - go to the school board meeting on June 10 if you care about issues of race, class and social justice in public education. Our elected leaders need to hear your voice.

If you want more info, Bob has studied this matter extensively. You can email him for "an in-depth analysis of the 5th grade textbook."