The Florida Department of Education has rejected more than 50 math textbooks for the upcoming school year on the grounds that the instructional materials incorporated “critical race theory” and the “unsolicited addition” of social-emotional learning concepts.
The Department said that 54 of the 132 textbooks submitted, or about 41 percent, were “impermissible” by state standards or contained “forbidden topics” such as critical race theory, a high-level academic framework that addresses racism systemic in institutions.
Twenty-eight math textbooks “were not included on the adopted list because they cover prohibited topics or unsolicited strategies, including [la teoría crítica de la raza]”, while 14 books did not “align correctly” with the state standards and included “prohibited topics or unsolicited strategies”, according to the Florida Department of Education.
Most of the rejected texts (71 percent) were from kindergarten through fifth grade.
The Independent requested the titles of the textbooks and the reasons why the agency rejected them.
There is no evidence that critical race theory is taught in Florida elementary schools. The phrase has become a catchall term, invoked by conservative activists with the help of dozens of local and national groups, conservative think tanks, law firms and GOP officials. On the other hand, it covers teachings on the history of slavery, racism, and the civil rights movements, among other topics. The legislation is broadly aimed at censoring classroom lectures.
Conservative officials argue that such concepts or teaching materials do not directly discuss the theory, but rather derive from it.
The Department of Education also rejected books that it says contain Common Core, nationally standardized academic targets in reading and math that Florida rejected in 2020. Those targets were replaced by the Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking, or BEST, standards.
To join a national effort targeting “divisive classes” in classrooms, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Republican state lawmakers have sought to censor classroom discussions and materials, limiting teachings on race. and racism, as well as LGBT+ history, events, and people.
In June, the Florida State Board of Education passed a rule to ban “critical race theory” from state schools, saying the theory “distorts historical events” and is “inconsistent” with standards approved by the Florida State Board. state board.
Last month, Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law the “Stop Injustices Against Our Children and Employees Act” or “Stop the WOKE Act,” which prohibits classroom discussions that suggest someone is responsible for actions “committed in the past by other members of the same race, color, sex, or national origin.” Critics argue this could censor learning about historical atrocities, from slavery to the Holocaust.
It also requires that classroom materials, as well as professional development materials in the workplace, be “consistent with principles of individual liberty” and allows residents to sue schools and workplaces for violations. perceived.
The governor and legislators of Florida also approved a measure which requires school districts to involve parents in committees that make recommendations to school boards about the “classification, disposal, or selection” of instructional materials.
Republican officials have also increasingly attacked concepts of “social-emotional learning,” which seek to help students manage their emotions, develop positive relationships and make good decisions, from learning to ask for help to how to identify if someone is having a problem. day.
“We don’t want things like math to have, you know, some of these other concepts included. It hasn’t been shown to be effective, and frankly, it’s distracting,” the governor said during a press conference on April 18.
In a statement, he said the textbooks included “indoctrinating concepts like racial essentialism, especially, strangely enough, for elementary school students.”
Florida Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez claimed without evidence that the state has seen a “systematic attempt by these publishers to infiltrate our children’s education by incorporating themes” such as critical race theory.
Democratic State Representative Carlos Smith said the governor “is hysterically pulling math books” out of the state.
“This isn’t just some right-wing pandering folly: They will then spend MILLIONS of tax dollars forcing schools to buy math books from GOP campaign donors,” he said.
“I understand. The point of math is to solve problems, something the Florida Republican Party doesn’t like to do.” said Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani.
–
