Alabama’s school board has voted to recommend 11 social studies textbooks, effectively dismissing complaints from critics who said the texts favored Islam over other religions.
The vote this month is only a recommendation since districts still get to decide which texts their students will read. The board was originally scheduled to vote in December, but decided to review the texts again after receiving complaints. Members of Act for America and the Eagle Forum of Alabama said the textbooks devoted too much content to explaining Islam and not enough on Christianity and Judaism.
The president of the Birmingham Islamic Society, Ashfaq Taufique, said a multifaith coalition that included Christians had supported recommending the textbooks.
