Texas weighs bid to rid schools of 'pro-Islam' books

[klr]

Now here's an interesting one:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11402606

The Texas school board is set to vote on a resolution urging publishers to keep "pro-Islamic/anti-Christian" language out of textbooks in the state.

Among other complaints, the non-binding decree says some textbooks devote more lines to Islam than to Christianity and print "whitewashes" of Islamic culture.

Critics say it relies on a flawed reading of books that are out of use.

In May, the panel adopted guidelines that critics said injected conservative political ideas into the curriculum.

Texas is one of the largest textbook markets in the US, and a vote in favour of the resolution could carry considerable weight in the publishing industry, supporters say.

Warning to publishers

The measure, on which the Texas Board of Education will vote on Friday in the state capital of Austin, is drafted by Randy Rives, a businessman and former school official in the Texas city of Odessa.

Supporters say the resolution is needed to warn textbook publishers not to print "anti-Christian" books if they want to sell them to Texas schools.

"It's the pro-Islamic, anti-Christian teachings in these books, that is what we are concerned about," Mr Rives told the BBC.

"We're teaching double the beliefs and specifics about another religion than we are about Christianity, which is the foundation of our country."

Among several complaints, the resolution says that a textbook used until 2003 used pejorative language to describe the crusaders while "euphemising Muslim conquest of Christian lands as 'migrations'".

It also says a book approved for use in Texas schools until 2003 devoted 159 lines of text to Islam and only 82 to Christianity, and recounted crusaders' massacres of European Jews while ignoring a 15th Century massacre of Baghdad Muslims by the Muslim conqueror Tamerlane.

Flawed reading

Mr Rives, a Republican who lost an election for the state school board this year, rejected criticism the resolution refers to books no longer used in Texas schools.

"The big concern is that we don't let it happen in the future," he said.

The Texas Freedom Network, an organisation that says it promotes religious freedom and individual liberties and opposes "the religious right", accused the Texas board of manufacturing controversy instead of focusing on education. It said the resolution relied on a flawed reading of textbooks that overlooked certain passages.

"This resolution is another example of state board members putting politics ahead of expertise and refusing to consider the advice of real scholars before doing something provocative and divisive," the group said in a statement.

"Indeed, the board has asked no scholars or other experts for public advice about the resolution."

[Pappa]

Hmmmm....

[Trolldor]

"Anti-christian" is the point there.

It's not a misrepresentation of Islam that they're concerned about, it's the fact that Christianity isn't painted as pure and righteous.

[klr]

Hmmmm....

Indeed. The objectors have a point, as (judging by the examples cited), the book in question is clearly biased. One suspect it makes little or no mention of numerous other atrocities committed by Muslims, whether against other Muslims or A.N. Others. But (I suspect) the same complaint could be made about bias towards Christianity in most other textbooks in use in Texas and elsewhere. Pot, kettle, black.

In other words, this complaint is religiously motivated, whereas it should be grounded in a desire for a fair and even-handed recounting of history.

[Clinton Huxley]

They are actually counting how many lines each religion gets? Like a jealous actor reading a script.

"Damn me! Harkett has got twice as many line in this screenplay! Get me my lawyer!".

Stupid people is stupid.

[Tero]

I would demand Monty python type of pictures of god and Allah in it, to amuse the kids.

Hmm, iPod capitalizes Allah !