by
Josh Adams, The Tennessean, May 15, 2013, FRANKLIN -
A high school textbook that several parents say contains anti-Semitic
passages is being scrutinized by the county school district and could
be booted from the curriculum.
Superintendent of Williamson County
Schools Mike Looney confirmed Monday evening that a formal complaint
regarding the book, “The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human
Geography,” was filed. That triggers a review of the book that some
parents began asking for months ago.
In April, Laurie Cardoza-Moore requested that school board members remove the book used in Advanced Placement classes. (link)
My Comment: If only one question is all that is offensive in a 500 page text book, maybe that question could just be ignored. I am sure that not every word in the text is read anyway and probably not ever question is assigned or discussed. Maybe a heavy black marker could be used to hide that question.
If anyone has read the textbook, I would like to know if this one question is all that is offensive. It is worth keeping in mind, that this is a text book used to teach the students who are seniors in advanced placement classes. Next year they will be in college getting bombarded with lots of controversial thought-provoking ideas. Do they really need to be protected from the question asked in this text book? I think this question might be offensive if in a freshman text, but I am not so sure college-bound advance placement students need to be protected from exposure to controversial ideas.
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Haven't seen it. We use Tennessean Ray Notgrass' curriculum for TN and US/World History. But those won't be "aligned" for Common Core "state" Standards.
ReplyDeleteThis book is from Pearson (typical big 3), where the next generation science standards are coming from.
http://wps.prenhall.com/esm_rubenstein_humangeo_8/
Click on a chapter and then use the menu on the left. You can see some of the review questions (the online portions).
IF parents start paying attention to these textbooks (that they aren't getting to select), the vast majority will find something in there that offends them. So, what is the feasibility in making a "common" curriculum that doesn't offend anyone, since we are all alleged to be the "same" for the "global marketplace"? This is why I argue CCSS will lead to least-common-denominator education - if the people have a say in it. If they don't, it will be whatever the federal government wants to push.