Commentary: Austin, Texas—Today, the Texas Senate Hispanic Caucus (SHC) once again urges the State Board of Education to keep a seriously flawed textbook out of Texas schools.
On August 29th, 2016 the prominent Latino legislative caucuses (SHC and MALC) in Texas expressed strong opposition to the potential adoption of Mexican American Heritage via a letter to the SBOE. Leaders of both caucuses testified before the SBOE on September 13th, 2016 and also articulated ardent support for the Responsible Ethnic Studies Textbook Coalition. The coalition is a group of scholars and organizations from across the state, including the SHC and MALC, and is calling on the Board to reject the textbook for its lack of rigorous scholarship or educational value.
State Senator Sylvia R. Garcia, Chair of the Senate Hispanic Caucus issues the following statement in anticipation of the SBOE vote on the textbook on November 15th.
“The Senate Hispanic Caucus continues to urge the State Board of Education to keep this misleading and factually inaccurate textbook out of Texas classrooms by voting against its adoption because revisions have not addressed the concerns of scholars and experts that the contents of the Mexican American Heritagetextbook remain inaccurate. We look forward to working with the SBOE on improved standards and instructional materials for rigorous ethnic studies instruction in Texas.”
State Senator Jose Menendez, Vice Chair of the Senate Hispanic Caucus added:
"Textbooks are the cornerstone of our education system. It is important they are inclusive and factual. Unfortunately, the bookMexican American Heritage is neither and therefore should be soundly rejected by the SBOE. Our students deserve a textbook with an honest retelling of our shared, history, culture and experience."