Challenging the Textbook

When the Milwaukee Public School District's social studies textbook adoption committee selected a traditional textbook series, a group of educators and community members actively opposed the decision on the grounds that the textbooks miseducated students and failed to teach social responsibility. The opposition formed a task force and engaged the administration in discussions about the textbooks' flaws and limitations. Acceptance of the textbooks for grades 6-8 was based on the fact that the district would provide supplementary professional development to teachers on multicultural content and teaching strategies. The district ultimately replaced the proposed K-3 textbooks and grade 5 textbook with other materials and adopted the 4th grade textbook of the state historical society instead. [author]