What makes a social studies textbook "woke" in Ron DeSantis' Florida
This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).
Source: Popular Info
Popular Information discovered, however, that the Florida Department of Education has quietly posted the initial reviews of all currently approved social studies textbooks — including those that were initially rejected. These reviews, which have not been previously reported, reveal why these social studies textbooks were deemed unacceptable.
---
One of the initially rejected textbooks for 1st Grade was Social Studies Alive! My School and Family, published by the Teachers' Curriculum Institute (TCI). One reviewer of Social Studies Alive! My School and Family determined that the textbook was in "very poor/no alignment" with the provision of Florida law that prohibits "any instruction regarding sexual orientation or gender identity." The reviewer does not claim there is any instruction in the text about sexual orientation or gender identity. But the reviewer notes that the textbook's "photographs and graphics include homosexual and heterosexual couples." The reviewer also claimed that the photos of "non-traditional families" violates the Florida requirement that the material be presented "objectively" and is "free of bias."
---
Another initially rejected textbook for 6th-8th grade was Civics Alive! Foundations and Functions, also published by TCI. One reviewer who did not recommend the text claims that "the discussion of lesbianism… [is] inappropriate for the middle school classroom." This is the entire "discussion of lesbianism" within the textbook:
LGBTQ candidates have also made some headway gaining governmental positions. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin became the first lesbian elected to the Senate in 2012… In 2021, the New York Times noted there were 986 LGBTQ elected officials across both the federal government and state governments.
---
One middle school social studies textbook, Florida United States History Advanced: myWorld Interactive, was not rejected by the state but did have several issues flagged by a reviewer. For example, the reviewer writes that "Slavery image on pg. 444 may violate the statute relating to guilt of future generations." This is a reference to the Stop WOKE Act, which prohibits instruction that makes an individual "feel guilt, anguish, or other forms of psychological distress for actions, in which he or she played no part, committed in the past by other members of the same race."
Read more: https://popular.info/p/what-makes-a-social-studies-textbook
There are several examples at the link, including images and captions for images that have been flagged by Florida reviewers.
Soon, a Florida education will be worthless. I write this, sadly, as a graduate of the University of Florida.
= new reply since forum marked as read
for the first time as a child. It has stayed with me all of my life. I could see why racist, history denying censors would want to excise the image.
