The Florida Department of Education on Thursday released scores of documents that shed light on why the agency rejected dozens of proposed math textbooks.
The records show that state reviewers flagged several traces of critical race theory and inklings of social emotional learning in proposed texts, two topics that have been explicitly targeted by the DeSantis administration. The denials of textbooks gained national attention when state leaders, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, publicly blasted publishers.
Many were confused as to why the state wouldn't renew dozens of math textbooks over issues like critical race theory, which are not part of the mathematics curriculum.
Ahead of the elections, he pushed measures limiting how race can be taught in classrooms and defended a bill that protects parents.
According to the book reviews, the Florida Department of Education asked its analysts a series of questions on special topics that could ultimately disqualify a text from being used in classrooms across the state.
The state education department wanted to know if the books aligned with the state's rule outlawing critical race theory and if they included any snippets of social justice. Critical race theory and The 1619 Project from The New York Times were banned by the Florida Board of Education.
Critical race theory examines how race and racism have become ingrained in American law and institutions since slavery and Jim Crow.
A reviewer noted that a high school statistics book included lessons on race that could violate the rule.
They pointed to some pages in the book that talked about racial profiling in policing and discrimination in magnet school admission.
Savvas Learning Company, formerly Pearson K12 Learning, published this textbook. Savvas covered precalculus honors in a book, but there was a section that asked students what math can tell them about race.
The state of Florida rejected 54 of the 132 proposed math textbooks that were 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 800-313-5780 The state education department said that critical race theory was one of the reasons why some of the math textbooks were left off the adoption list.
The decision left schools with only one textbook option for standard K-5 math. The state adopted additional publishers after they changed their proposals.
According to the documents, two publishers seeking to provide K-5 math books were flagged by reviewers for broaching lessons on social emotional learning.
Attempts at multicultural teaching were visible in the text of one second-grade book from Houghton Mifflin. types of housing for different groups of people
The social emotional learning lessons in the book were rated very poor by the reviewers. The question asks students to think about social and emotional learning competencies, including relationship skills and social awareness.
A Mathematics for College Liberal Arts text was accused of being biased on climate change.
The Savvas publication contained exercises based on an argument between former Vice President Al Gore and conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh.
A bar graph measuring racial prejudice by age is an example previously cited by the FLDOE.
The reviewer said that the book should not be considered for adoption because of the Critical Race Theory elements.
The state's decision against adopting the books is being appealed by textbook publishers.
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