Florida bans 28 math textbooks from school in fight over Critical Race Theory

The Florida Department of Education rejected 28 math textbooks from its circulum on Friday, saying the books were an attempt to ‘indoctrinate’ students into Critical Race Theory (CRT). 

The agency tossed out 54 of the 132 math textbooks sumbitted for its ciriculum for the next school year, with more than half banned for referencing CRT, as the department said that 71 percent of books submitted for elementary school students were ultimately rejected.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had banned CRT as a component in Florida schools, claiming it promotes hatred among students and makes individuals feel guilty for racism of the past. 

‘It seems that some publishers attempted to slap a coat of paint on an old house built on the foundation of Common Core, and indoctrinating concepts like race essentialism, especially, bizarrely, for elementary school students,’ he said of the rejected books.  

Florida Comisioner of Education Richard Corcoran said the other 24 banned books were thrown out for including Common Core practices, which were banned in the state in 2019, and failing to align to the department’s standards of education. 

‘When it comes to education, other states continue to follow Florida’s lead as we continue to reinforce parents’ rights by focusing on providing their children with a world-class education without the fear of indoctrination or exposure to dangerous and divisive concepts in our classrooms,’ Corcoran said.  

Corcoran said he had warned publishers to make sure the books kept up with the state’s laws when he invited them to submit the textbooks last year. 

In a statement on Friday, the Florida’s DOE said: ,’It is unfortunate that several publishers, especially at the elementary school grade levels, have ignored this clear communication and have attempted to slip rebranded instructional materials based on Common Core Standards into Florida’s classrooms, while others have included prohibited and divisive concepts such as the tenants of CRT or other unsolicited strategies of indoctrination – despite FDOE’s prior notification.’ 

The rejected publishers will be able to appeal the state’s decision and are granted the right to alter the sumbitted textbooks as long as it meets that state’s specifications. 

It’s the latest blow against ‘wokeness’ in the state after the legislature approved DeSantis’ bill last month barring schools and private businesses from making students or employees feel ‘guilt’ or ‘any form of psychological stress’ because of their national origin, sex or race. 

Specifically, the bill would outlaw teachings that assert certain individuals are ‘inherently racist [or] sexist] – or ‘morally superior’ – or that characterize individuals’ status as ‘privileged’ or ‘oppressed’ based on their race, sex or national origin.’ 

Florida Sen. Manny Diaz, Jr., who pushed the bill throug the senate, said the bill was not meant to cover up America’s history with racism, but to not blame students for past wrongs.   

‘It’s not about the feel. We can’t control how a person feels about a topic,’ Diaz told the Washington Post. ‘But what we can control is to have a teacher not go to a student … and impose on a male student that they are sexist simply because they are a considered a male.’ 

DeSantis  signed into law a parental rights bill that bans teachers from giving classroom instruction on ‘sexual orientation’ or ‘ gender identity’ in kindergarten through third grade

In March, the state also passed the Parental Rights in Education bill, which bans teaching gender ideology for children at elementary schools. 

It will become law from July 1, and teachers who breach its regulations can be sued by parents. 

Critics, however, say it teaches young kids to believe they are wrong for being different and that forcing schools to report students who are receiving mental health services is taking away a safe space for those students to be themselves.

Even the White House weighed in on what has become the latest culture wars clash, with press secretary Jen Psaki claiming last week it was ‘hateful’ and ‘misinformed’.