And when will the school book buyers for 48 states meet with the publishers
to turn this situation around?
Dennis Hollingsead
Doug Johnson wrote:
> Hi Amanda and others,
>
> According to Diane Ravitch's recent comments on the NPR program "Fresh
> Air," this is self-imposed censorship caused primarily by state-wide
> adoption of textbooks in Texas (conservative) and California (liberal),
> and the result of 80% of the textbook market being dominated by 4
> publishers (only one of which is a US owned company). The right doesn't
> want witches and evolution; the left won't accept depictions of women in
> traditional roles or minorities treated in any fashion that might be
> construed as stereotypical, etc. I have little reason to believe Ravitch
> has a traditional political agenda in her research since she worked
> under both George B the first and Clinton.
>
> One humorous moment on the show came after Ravitch suggested dullness
> and unreadability in textbooks was a result of these "word police"
> actions that got rolling in the 80's and 90's to which Terry Gross, the
> show's host, replied that she went to school in the 60's and textbook
> were dull then.
>
> All this made me think of just how good library collections with items
> of high interest, different points of view, and engaging writing styles
> are the true antidotes to dumbed-down, plain vanilla, and incomplete
> textbooks. Pity the child without access to good libraries.
>
> Ketchup must have been banned by the left since the Republicans under
> Regan made it officially a vegetable! I think it is also Minnesota's
> state condiment!
>
> All the best,
>
> Doug
> ************
> Doug Johnson
> Director of Media and Technology
> I.S.D. 77, Mankato Public Schools
> Box 8713, Mankato MN 56002-8713
> Voice: 507-387-7698, Fax: 507-387-2496
> E-mail: dougj@doug-johnson.com
> Web: www.doug-johnson.com
>
> "The fates guide those who go willingly; those who do not, they drag."
> Seneca
Dennis Hollingsead
Administrative Assistant to VP for Academic Administration
Andrews University
Berrien Springs, MI 49104
269-471-3404
Graduate Student
Minnesota State University, Mankato
hollings@andrews.edu
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-
All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
LM_NET Help & Information: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archive: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.shtml
LM_NET Select/EL-Announce: http://www.cuenet.com/archive/el-announce/
LM_NET Supporters: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/ven.html
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-
LM_NET
Mailing List Home