Texas OKs new history textbooks despite complaints

AUSTIN, Texas -- A Texas panel has approved 89 history and social studies textbooks for use in classrooms across America's second-largest state, after one top publisher withdrew a book.

The Republican-controlled State Board of Education voted along party lines 10-5 Friday, sanctioning most proposed books and electronic lessons. It defeated six books, however, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt withdrew a high school government textbook.

Because Texas' market is so large, textbooks published to meet its standards can affect those sold in other states, although that influence may be waning.

Since 2011, its school districts have been allowed to buy textbooks with or without board approval, and the use of iPads and e-readers has made it easier for publishers to tailor books to individual needs of any state.

Academics and some liberal-leaning activists have complained for months that many of the books up for adoption in Texas overstate the influence of religion on early American democracy, including exaggerating biblical figure Moses' importance to the founding fathers. But conservative groups worry that many of the same books promote pro-Islam values.

On Tuesday, the board heard hours of public testimony that echoed many of those complaints -- that the texts present political and religious beliefs and ideologies as facts.

"I feel an obligation, beyond my 40 years in the classroom, to be an advocate for our students so that they have the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth," testified educator Amy Jo Baxter, according to CBS affiliate KEYE in Austin.

MerryLynn Gerstenschlager, vice president of the influential conservative group Texas Eagle Forum, said books should describe the "forced wealth distribution" imposed by the United Nations via misleading propaganda about climate change.

Retired school teacher Anthony Bruner warned that they would indoctrinate students with communist tenants.

"I've tried to be a good, patriotic citizen and tried to protect the young people," said Bruner, who is aligned with a conservative group called Truth in Texas Textbooks.

That organization used dozens of volunteers to raise more than 1,500 complaints about the books. It noted that the achievements of President Ronald Reagan were omitted from some while arguing that others ignored Islam's occasional glorification of violence -- including beheadings.

Roy White, a retired Air Force pilot and Truth in Texas Textbooks' chairman, said he supports all religions but "the political side of Islam, the part that threatens you and me... that's not a religion."

One dispute was about how the word "jihad" is defined. "I can assure you these acts of jihad were not a struggle for [a terrorist] to be a better person," Baxter said.

Board member Lawrence Allen Jr., a practicing Muslim, said it's the public who has the wrong definition.

"I'm talking about the faith and religion of Islam. It's not about Osama Bin Ladin or ISIS or anybody saying they're calling for jihad. A true Muslim believes that only Allah can call a jihad," Allen explained.

Others brought conflicting testimony about the role of Christianity in our nation's founding.

"Moses was a lawgiver as well as a religious leader," said Jonathan Saenz of Texas Vales, while quoting past Supreme Court decisions.

"Passages exaggerating the influence of Christianity on this nation's founding still remain in some of the textbooks," countered Zachary Kopplin with Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

"Most people have been disturbed by the fact that we give any credit or credence to Moses at all," said Pat Hardy, a Republican from Weatherford. "I do think it has a place."

There was also debate about Common Core.

"You all will be on record supporting common core and that's what's gonna come out of this. I'm just telling you it's against the law and this book shoulda been been pulled off," said board member Geraldine Miller.

Since September, publishers have had a chance to edit their proposed books -- or provide justifications for why they aren't -- in response to previously criticism.

One said it is willing to remove a cartoon in a high school American government textbook that featured space aliens hovering over earth with the caption, "Relax, we'll be fine -- they've got affirmative action." But the same company refused to modify a Contemporary World Cultures book stating that jihad is "the struggle to be a better person," even though some critics said it actually means holy war.

Friday's approval means the books will be ready for more than 5 million Texas public school students next fall. But some critics remained dissatisfied.

"What we saw today shows very clearly that the process the State Board of Education uses to adopt textbooks is a sham," said Kathy Miller, president of the left-leaning Texas Freedom Network. "This board adopted textbooks with numerous late changes that the public had little opportunity to review and comment on and that even board members themselves admitted they had not read."