Social Studies News in Brief

Texas Board Approves Most Contested Texts

By Liana Loewus — December 02, 2014 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Nearly all the social studies textbooks that were being considered by the Texas school board have been approved for use next school year.

Of the 96 books reviewed, 89 were approved by the GOP-controlled board last month, the Associated Press reported. Six were rejected, and one publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, withdrew a government text.

Groups from both sides of the political spectrum argued against the textbooks’ approval, alleging they contained distortions. The Texas Freedom Network Education Fund, for instance, said some books exaggerated Moses’ influence on the founding of the United States. The National Center for Science Education, which took issue with the way Pearson and McGraw-Hill presented climate change, said those publishers revised their books “to eliminate misrepresentations.”

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the December 03, 2014 edition of Education Week as Texas Board Approves Most Contested Texts

Events

Artificial Intelligence Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: AI Could Be Your Thought Partner
How can educators prepare young people for an AI-powered workplace? Join our discussion on using AI as a cognitive companion.
Student Well-Being & Movement K-12 Essentials Forum How Schools Are Teaching Students Life Skills
Join this free virtual event to explore creative ways schools have found to seamlessly integrate teaching life skills into the school day.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Special Education Webinar
Bridging the Math Gap: What’s New in Dyscalculia Identification, Instruction & State Action
Discover the latest dyscalculia research insights, state-level policy trends, and classroom strategies to make math more accessible for all.
Content provided by TouchMath

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Social Studies Opinion Studying Black History Primary Sources? Try the Sankofa Framework (Downloadable)
A blueprint for unearthing truths from Black history when grappling with a vast assortment of complex sources.
Nick Kennedy
1 min read
Black History books behind a Sankofa bird image
Erin K. Robinson for Education Week
Social Studies Opinion My Secret for Engaging Students in a Black History ‘Jawn’
Here’s the class discussion you should be having before introducing a new history lesson.
Abigail Henry
3 min read
Black History teacher class with hands raised in front of Philadelphia skyline Jawn orange
Erin K. Robinson for Education Week
Social Studies Opinion Why We Need to Study the Black Founders Who Shaped U.S. Democracy
America’s founders weren’t just old, white men in wigs.
LaGarrett J. King
4 min read
Historic black figures silhouettes with sun and start iconography.
Erin K. Robinson for Education Week
Social Studies Opinion My Step-By-Step Framework for Taking Flight Into Black History
Here’s how I teach my AP African American Studies students to excavate truth from primary sources.
Nick Kennedy
4 min read
Black History books behind a Sankofa bird image
Erin K. Robinson for Education Week