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Houston Mayor Urges State Board To Reject Controversial Textbook

Texas Education Agency
Researchers and professors have found numerous factual mistakes and cultural biases in the proposed Mexican-American studies textbook for Texas public school students. The State Board of Education will consider it at its meeting in September, 2016.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner is asking the Texas Board of Education to reject a controversial textbook as a newly released report called the content “flatly incorrect and offensive on many occasions.”

“I have read parts of the proposed textbook as well as reviews from experts in history and Mexican-American studies.  In short, I find this textbook to be offensive,” Turner said in a news release sent out Tuesday.  “The purpose of instructional material is not to undermine our educational system, to push an ideological agenda or to disseminate inaccuracies, stereotypes and errors about our collective history.”

Turner says he wants to see an alternative textbook.

“We have the unique opportunity to develop a world-class textbook on Mexican-American studies created by academic and professional experts. Reject this purported textbook, and offer one that is scholarly, historical and accurate to educate all students about our nation’s rich history,” he wrote.

The State Board of Education will hold a public meeting on the book on Sept. 13.