Is it possible for a Texas school teacher to simply ignore these agenda-riddled textbooks?

[bluestateguy]

That is, could a Texas school teacher of say, history, simply ignore the officially approved textbook, with all of its agenda-driven little barbs, put in there by the TX Board of Education? In other words, could such teachers just ignore the textbooks (even if they were legally forced to technically adopt them for their courses) and just devise lesson plans, assignments and classroom activities without these books? Could a teacher get away with that?

[Catshrink]

1. It might depend on the local school board

The social studies department hardly ever uses textbooks in my school. I think the math department uses them the most just based on the number of books I see students lugging around.

on edit: I'm not in Texas so really have no clue about the laws there.

[rurallib]

2. I think a lot of teachers make their own curriculum

using books, internet, xeroxed and some textbooks.
My kids teachers never used the textbook.

[Kerrytravelers]

3. A teacher can introduce the opposing view, I suppose.

But the kids will be tested on what's in the books. And test scores are very important in terms of which schools are left alone and which ones get stricter schedules imposed on them by the state.

For example, in California, I worked in a great school and district with high scores. I was left basically alone. Then, I worked at a school and in a district that was low performing. We were given specific schedules to follow and had to report them to the principal each day. When we got behind, we were visited by someone from the district. Our school was under constant threat by the state to have people from Sacramento come down and restructure our classrooms, our teaching schedule and to "assist" the teachers.

I don't know if Texas works this way, but in California, going outside the text books can cause more problems.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Sure. I only rarely use textbooks.

But I am only one teacher. The problem is the number of teachers who will use that textbook. And the ones who think it's a good reference.

[tonysam]

6. It takes a tremendous amount of time to come up with supplementary materials

in order to jettison the textbook entirely. Teachers with a lot of years in can do this, but newer teachers will find it takes many, many hours and lots and lots of money coming out of their pockets to create alternative materials.

Typically the textbooks are designed to meet state standards; teachers don't have the luxury of doing whatever the hell they want and teach whatever the hell they want. They can't, or they will find themselves out of a job.

The purpose of having textbooks is that they save time for the teachers in lesson planning and assessment while at the same time covering the material teachers need to have covered. Typically the materials are all there at a teacher's fingertips, and if he or she wants to supplement, he or she can do it.

[havocmom]

5. Problem is, it won't just affect teachers in Texas

As Texas goes, so goes most textbooks for everywhere.

[donheld]

7. exactly right

[State the Obvious]

10. Something else we NEED to correct. nt

[jtuck004]

8. Will the material drive changes in SAT tests or other national exams?

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. It usually works the other way around

The SAT drives what is taught, at least in college prep programs.

Don't know about this crap in Texas though.

[OHdem10]

11. These textbooks will be sold to other states. I cannot believe the

Right will not follow up to determine if teachers are teaching
the text

[mbperrin]

12. The exact problem is that these are actually changes to the TEKS

standards, which is what kids are tested on for advancement and ultimately, graduation.

What will happen in many classrooms, including mine, is that I will identify material that is required to be answered in a certain way to pass the TAKS test, and then identify material that is more generally accepted by the social studies community. This will also give us the opportunity to study and discuss other forms of passive and non-violent resistance.

The 60s came from the 50s, mostly from the cognitive dissonance created by teaching kids something that did not match what they saw in real life. Resolution came about from personal action.

It's going to be the same here. In the next decade of so, look for violent upheaval of social mores by disaffected and disenchanted youth.