The State Board of Education board narrowly approved a controversial resolution today that instructs publishers to give more favorable attention to Christianity in future editions.
Conservatives had argued that publishers had a “pro-Islamic, anti-Christian” viewpoint in world history textbooks, and publishers should devote more coverage to Christianity and other non-muslim faiths in future editions.
The resolution was approved 7-6 with two Democratic board members absent.
Supporters said the resolution was needed to bring more equality to social study books, and they were surprised to see how the Muslim faith was portrayed in history textbooks.
“I was hoping not to find bias, but I did,” board member Barbara Cargill said.
Several board members tried to derail the resolution by delaying the vote and removing some of the language that they called “offensive.”
Board member Lawrence Allen, D-Houston, who practices Islam, said he didn’t think a resolution was necessary, and he did not feel like there was proof of a pro-Muslim bias in history textbooks.
“It disturbs me that there are some assertions in here,” Allen said. “I am offended by that language. It is unfair. I can not support it.”
The resolution was brought before the board by Randy Rives of Odessa, who unsuccessfully ran for the school board. He told MSNBC that “our documentation clearly shows that the bias is there.”
Several parents voiced support for the resolution, saying history books need to be neutral when discussing religion.
In North Texas, parents were undecided about the resolution.
“As parents, we just have never thought about it,” parent Jontae Mays said. “I, personally, have never examined a textbook to look for material like that.”