Activists, Scholars in Texas Claim Textbook Filled With Errors About Mexican Americans, Oppose use in Public Schools

Activists and scholars are banding together in Texas to oppose the use of a textbook in public schools on Mexican American history blasted as filled with "racist" overtones.

"Mexican American Heritage" is among the textbooks being considered for use as early as next year by the Texas State Board of Education for a new course on Mexican-American history.

Authors Expertise Questioned

Critics charge the book is filled with inaccurate depictions of Mexican-American history and culture and was penned by two authors with no known expertise in the field of Mexican-American studies.

"It is one of the most racist textbooks I've ever had the displeasure of reading," said Tony Díaz, a Houston-based educator, community activist and author who has led the recent charge for the implementation of a Mexican-American studies class.

"The people who wrote it obviously have no understanding of the difference between the term Chicano, Latino, Hispanic so that any time the word is uttered in the book, it's used incorrectly," added Diaz. "There's no way to edit it to fix it. The book needs to go."

Word is one passage of the book ties Mexican Americans to undocumented immigrants and claims that illegal immigration has "caused a number of economic and security problems in the United States," including "poverty, non-assimilation, drugs, crime, and exploitation."

Still another section describes Chicanos of the 1960s Civil rights era as people who "adopted a revolutionary narrative that opposed Western civilization and wanted to destroy this society."

Under Review

The book is now slated to be reviewed by a panel of educators who will peruse it for factual errors and decide ultimately determine if its meets state standards. In September, the state board will hold a public hearing on the matter and to go over the panel's findings.

The state board will conduct a final vote in November to either approve or reject the book's usage.

Between now and then, Diaz insists he and others plan to hold regular community meetings all over the state to spread the word and educate people about the book's flaws.