Post by addisona on Jun 4, 2022 8:58:33 GMT
Textbook publishers must ignore GOP’s ‘divisive politics of censorship,’ N.J. Democrats say
Congressional Democrats from New Jersey on Friday urged educational publishers to resist rewriting their textbooks in response to demands from Republican-led states, saying “we will not stand for lowering our educational standards and learning opportunities for our students, based on the divisive politics of censorship.”
Both of the state’s senators and five House members signed the letter, a response to GOP officials railing against what they call “critical race theory” and objecting to content that mentions gay and lesbian-led families and incidents of racism in American history.
“If you comply with such demands to alter textbooks based on the Florida law or similar legislation in other states, we ask that you continue to make available the original, uncensored textbooks to schools in New Jersey and other states,” the lawmakers wrote.
“We are proud of having some of the highest rated public schools in the country in our state, and we will not stand for lowering our educational standards and learning opportunities for our students, based on the divisive politics of censorship from politicians in Florida, Texas or anywhere else.”
The letter to four textbook publishers was led by Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-7th Dist., and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker. Malinowski has been hammered on the issue by Republican groups backing former state Senate GOP Leader Tom Kean Jr., who is trying to win the congressional seat he barely lost in 2020.
Democratic lawmakers said in their letter that Republican efforts to limit what can be taught in schools appears to be “nothing more than a bigoted censorship campaign designed to frighten parents, stoke racial grievance, and bully textbook publishers into submission.”
Florida rejected more than 40% of textbooks while Texas limited how teachers could discuss slavery and racism.
The lawmakers said they were worried that “any changes made to appease their demands will affect the quality of public education in New Jersey and other states.”
Republicans successfully made school curricula a wedge issue last fall as they came close to defeating Gov. Phil Murphy and won the governorship in Virginia for the first time in more than a decade.
www.nj.com/politics/2022/06/textbook-publishers-must-ignore-gops-divisive-politics-of-censorship-nj-democrats-say.html
Congressional Democrats from New Jersey on Friday urged educational publishers to resist rewriting their textbooks in response to demands from Republican-led states, saying “we will not stand for lowering our educational standards and learning opportunities for our students, based on the divisive politics of censorship.”
Both of the state’s senators and five House members signed the letter, a response to GOP officials railing against what they call “critical race theory” and objecting to content that mentions gay and lesbian-led families and incidents of racism in American history.
“If you comply with such demands to alter textbooks based on the Florida law or similar legislation in other states, we ask that you continue to make available the original, uncensored textbooks to schools in New Jersey and other states,” the lawmakers wrote.
“We are proud of having some of the highest rated public schools in the country in our state, and we will not stand for lowering our educational standards and learning opportunities for our students, based on the divisive politics of censorship from politicians in Florida, Texas or anywhere else.”
The letter to four textbook publishers was led by Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-7th Dist., and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker. Malinowski has been hammered on the issue by Republican groups backing former state Senate GOP Leader Tom Kean Jr., who is trying to win the congressional seat he barely lost in 2020.
Democratic lawmakers said in their letter that Republican efforts to limit what can be taught in schools appears to be “nothing more than a bigoted censorship campaign designed to frighten parents, stoke racial grievance, and bully textbook publishers into submission.”
Florida rejected more than 40% of textbooks while Texas limited how teachers could discuss slavery and racism.
The lawmakers said they were worried that “any changes made to appease their demands will affect the quality of public education in New Jersey and other states.”
Republicans successfully made school curricula a wedge issue last fall as they came close to defeating Gov. Phil Murphy and won the governorship in Virginia for the first time in more than a decade.
www.nj.com/politics/2022/06/textbook-publishers-must-ignore-gops-divisive-politics-of-censorship-nj-democrats-say.html