Recently in Arizona a school board voted in favor of tearing out pages of honors biology textbooks that discussed abortion in a manner they didn’t like. The alternative was to have the pages redacted via Sharpie. I can’t make this stuff up.
But then something rather hilarious happened. Voters voted for a new majority on the school board shortly after they made their decision. And now no textbook pages are being ripped out or blacked out. Nope. Instead a small sticker has been placed on the inside of the back covers that says something like, “If you have questions about sex, ask your parents.” I’m not joking. I don’t see how anyone can claim victory for something like this when the previous goal had been quite different. And I know this isn’t the only thing I could say about legislators or school board members getting involved with school textbooks, but this is fairly recent and the school year is just about here.
Who do you think should be deciding which textbooks are used in public schools? I say the state should give wide ranging guidelines for textbooks, but that school districts should ultimately decide for themselves.
On this day in 2014 I published Would you Rather…. This is a book tag that is STILL making its way around YouTube and WordPress. Surprised someone hasn’t thought of something better.
Johnny Reads 
I miss the good old days when children swept chimneys, polished brass, and worked in factories. More earning less learning I say.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s a poem called The Chimney Sweeper (there might be a companion one too) that echoes your sentiment. Lol. Can’t remember the poet. Maybe…Coleridge?
LikeLiked by 1 person
“I say the state should give wide ranging guidelines for textbooks, but that school districts should ultimately decide for themselves.” I agree.
LikeLike
Looks like you’re the only one. 😳
LikeLike
This post. I snorted out loud reading this. Ripping out pages of a textbook that doesn’t appeal to their opinions? That’s ridiculous! That’s a step into the direction of dictating the things we know and what we don’t know, like in the dystopian novels!
LikeLike
Haha exactly. It’s laughable. And ridiculous. And yes! One of my recent reads is exactly like that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Easily a large part of why I home school.
LikeLike
👍
LikeLike