When it comes to public school textbooks, what happens in Texas clearly doesn’t stay in Texas. Last September the Texas State Board of Education passed a resolution attacking Islam and falsely claiming that social studies textbooks are anti-Christian and pro-Muslim. Now right-wing groups are threatening education officials in Florida while making essentially the same absurd claims in that state.
The Gainesville Sun reports education officials in that state have been receiving e-mails insisting that students’ history textbooks are anti-Christian and pro-Muslim. The campaign is being fueled by a Florida group called Patriots United.
The e-mails appear to be a form letter created by Patriots United and include out-of-context textbook excerpts the group claims are examples of an anti-Christian/pro-Muslim bias. From one e-mail:
“Handouts with each false excerpt should be given to every student. The teacher should provide an accurate explanation.”
The Gainesville paper explains that the e-mails include a threat that the anti-Muslim groups “reserve the right to remove those elected officials of the School Board in Districts who choose not to honor their requests.”
And just think: the Texas State Board of Education has been leading the way down this hateful, know-nothing path.
