Social Studies News in Brief

New Social Studies Texts Challenged in Texas

By McClatchy-Tribune — September 16, 2014 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Four years after state board of education members clashed over history standards in Texas schools, publishers are facing criticism over new textbooks based on those changes.

The Texas Freedom Network, an education advocacy and watchdog group, set up a panel of university faculty to review the books. It found numerous errors and shortcomings. Among them: books that negatively portrayed Muslims as more prone to violence and inaccurately described religions other than Christianity.

Two texts were cited for misinformation on the constitutional requirement of separation of church and state. Another was singled out for using outdated and offensive racial terminology in describing Africans.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the September 17, 2014 edition of Education Week as New Social Studies Texts Challenged in Texas

Events

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
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in Schools
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by Panorama Education
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
Science Webinar
Spark Minds, Reignite Students & Teachers: STEM’s Role in Supporting Presence and Engagement
Is your district struggling with chronic absenteeism? Discover how STEM can reignite students' and teachers' passion for learning.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
Recruitment & Retention Webinar EdRecruiter 2025 Survey Results: The Outlook for Recruitment and Retention
See exclusive findings from EdWeek’s nationwide survey of K-12 job seekers and district HR professionals on recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction. 

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 Watching the Election Results Live With Mr. Lipman's AP Government Class
Students from Highlands High School in Texas came together as scholars and first-time voters to witness election results together.
6 min read
Noah Lipman's AP US Government and Politics students watch election results during a class election watch party at Big Lou's Pizza in San Antonio, Texas, on Nov. 5, 2024.
Students in Noah Lipman's AP U.S. Government and Politics class watch election results during a watch party at Big Lou's Pizza in San Antonio, Texas, on Nov. 5, 2024.
Lauren Santucci/Education Week
Social Studies 'If We Don’t Vote, Nothing Is Going to Change': First-Time Voters Report Back
Students at this Wyoming high school share their experience of voting for the first time.
6 min read
Arapahoe Charter School seniors Alissah C'Hair, Kenya Rhodes, Dontae Antelope, Esperanza Sittingeagle, Zona Roskowske, and Kieden Birdshead stand for a group photo after casting their votes on Nov. 5, 2024, in Arapahoe, Wy.
Arapahoe Charter School seniors Alissah C'Hair, Kenya Rhodes, Dontae Antelope, Esperanza Sittingeagle, Zona Roskowske, and Kieden Birdshead stand for a group photo after casting their votes on Nov. 5, 2024, in Arapahoe, Wy.
Carl Cote for Education Week
Social Studies Download What Is Social Studies Literacy? How Educators In the Field Teach Reading
The sources students consult, the kinds of arguments they make, differ from history to economics to geography.
1 min read
Image of a bookshelf.
Luoman/E+
Social Studies Inside the Class Where Students Talk About Abortion, Trump v. Harris, and More
A Maine high school has piloted a new class called Election Year, where students dive deep into campaign politics.
8 min read
EdTech Megan Leddy holds up her laptop to show an Electoral College map to students Sabrina Conary and Asher Clark during a discussion in the Election Year course at Mount Desert Island High School in Bar Harbor, Maine, on Oct. 22, 2024.
Teaching assistant Megan Leddy holds up her laptop to show an Electoral College map to students Sabrina Conary and Asher Clark during a discussion in the Election Year course at Mount Desert Island High School in Bar Harbor, Maine, on Oct. 22, 2024.
Linda Coan O'Kresik for Education Week