Rejected Math Textbook Publishers Removed ‘WOKE’ Content, Added to FL Adopted List
May 4, 2022 Updated 12:50 P.M. ET
TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – The Florida Department of Education announced more math textbooks have been included in the adopted list after publishers removed “woke” content and made changes to meet state standards.
Florida rejected 41% of submitted math textbooks in April citing attempts to “indoctrinate” students through Critical Race Theory and Social Emotional Learning. Since then, publishers have had the chance to appeal the decision and make changes to meet state requirements.
“We have high standards and reject books with unacceptable content because we know that publishers can easily adjust their materials to meet our guidelines, as displayed by the fact that it took less than two weeks for additional publishers to amend entire books, resubmit them and get put on the adoption list,” Florida Department of Education Press Secretary Cassie Palelis said.
“In the past 17 days, the Florida Department of Education has been able to add 19 more textbooks to the state adoption list, due to the publishers making changes to align materials to our state standards– per Florida Department of Education,” Governor Press Secretary Christina Pushaw said on Twitter Tuesday.
In April, the state vetted the 132 submitted textbooks and had originally rejected 54 of them. Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran said 71% of the submitted books for grade levels K-5 were rejected because they included prohibited topics and unsolicited strategies.
The Florida Department of Education released examples of Critical Race Theory in some of the rejected textbooks, but did not refer to specific publishers.
Examples include bar graphs teaching students to measure racial prejudice by age. Another graph has students measure racial prejudice by political identification. It displays charts telling students that those with conservative beliefs are more prejudiced.
These examples teach students about the Implicit Association Test. It is a test used to prescribe ‘implicit associations’ regarding race and gender.
