This history textbook is under challenge by Christians in Sarasota Florida
It isn’t just conservative Christians in Texas who are trying to rewrite our history books. Richard Swier, a right wing blogger living in Sarasota, has challenged a high school history textbook and asked for it to be removed from the schools. District staff denied his complaint, which filed last spring but only recently ruled upon. He has just appealed the district decision to the school board and has promised to bring “experts” from all over the country to help state his case. This spectacle should occur at the July 20th school board meeting in Sarasota.
The textbook in question is World History: Patterns of Interactions. Sarasota schools have been using this book since 2006 and it is on Florida’s department of education list of approved books. The district has once again approved the book for the 2011/12 school year.
Swier lists ten parts of the book he feels misrepresents Islam, Judaism and Christianity. His complaints seem to center on what he believes is the slighting of Christianity in the textbook. For instance, one of his complaints is that the textbook states “Christians regard Jesus as the Son of God” and Swier thinks it should read, “Christians know Jesus is the Son of God.” He is also upset at what he feels is favorable treatment of Islam in the book.
Swier is very active in conservative politics and is a blogger for the Red County website. He is a well-known critic of the Sarasota county schools and ran unsuccessfully for the school board in 2002.
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Comments
Wow, I am not sure what is worse. That Christians want a better "historical" representation, or that these people who claim "truth" are ignoring it!
I recommend going to Sweier's blog and reading his article about this, and especially reading his appeal to the School Board. There is little substative reasoning, and he makes much out of inane procedural technicalities. Perhaps he could do something more useful with his time than being afraid of children knowing more about the history of a foriegn culture that they will be forced to deal with as they grow older.
Dr Richard Swier had 10 minutes to present his case after 47
others were given up to 3 minutes each to speak. As he introduced his points, he announced that he had just receive on
his iPhone that an Iranian woman had just died from stoning. This is under Shari'a law that was not treated properly in the text.
There was a large group of Muslim women in head scarfs who spoke
eloquently about the fine points of Islam without being willing to acknowledge any of the detracions. They wold never agree that Fraical Ilsam needs to be dealt with by moderates.
What an idiot. Christian fanatics are worse sometimes than other fanatics.
You can't favor any religion in school history books, because their are students with different religious beliefs besides Christianity. This guy is arrogant in believing his religion should be put before others.
That's just stupid
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