The Alabama State Board of Education was not swayed today by allegations that some of the state’s approved social studies textbooks have a pro-Islamic bias and diminish Christianity.
Voting 5-2, the board approved a measure to recommend more than 500 new social studies textbooks for use in public schools, including 11 of 12 books concerned citizens asked the board to remove from the list.
One of the 12 books was removed from the list, but not because of a perceived pro-Islamic bias. State Superintendent of Education Tommy Bice described that book as an unintentional duplicate.
Board members Betty Peters of Kinsey and Stephanie Bell of Montgomery opposed the measure. The board rejected an amendment from Bell that would have removed the 11 books.
Board member Jeffery Newman of Millport was not present for the vote.
The decision comes after the board delayed consideration of the new textbook list in December, citing bias concerns.
The list now goes to local school boards for review. Local schools are not required to use textbooks from the approved list, but they will not receive state textbook funding for books not on the list.
Check AL.com for further details as this story develops.