Eight textbook publishers have reportedly withdrawn their books from consideration to be used in Oklahoma schools ahead of an upcoming vote by the state's textbook committee.
"As conservative voices continue to scrutinize classroom content, the officials said schools could be left with fewer textbooks that meet the rigorous standard of review in Oklahoma, a small-market state that already has limited leverage with the publishing industry," The Oklahoman reported Wednesday. "Seventeen companies initially asked to be considered in this year’s math textbook adoption process, according to records the Oklahoma State Department of Education provided. Eight withdrew, and one company was removed for not submitting a printed sample product."
Oklahoma lawmakers passed a law regarding "subject matter standards" in 2020, requiring an extra review by experts before a textbook is recommended to the state textbook committee, a process they said can filter out textbooks of poor quality or questionable content. The state has previously experienced controversies ranging from sexually graphic books being allowed in school libraries to a drag queen being hired as an elementary school principal.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters is at the forefront of the effort to reform the state's education system, drawing him detractors and praise. Walters warned while serving as Oklahoma's secretary of education in July 2022, "We've got folks in positions of power and administrators that are more focused on a woke ideology and an agenda rather than making sure kids can read and write."
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"As conservative voices continue to scrutinize classroom content, the officials said schools could be left with fewer textbooks that meet the rigorous standard of review in Oklahoma, a small-market state that already has limited leverage with the publishing industry," The Oklahoman reported Wednesday. "Seventeen companies initially asked to be considered in this year’s math textbook adoption process, according to records the Oklahoma State Department of Education provided. Eight withdrew, and one company was removed for not submitting a printed sample product."
Oklahoma lawmakers passed a law regarding "subject matter standards" in 2020, requiring an extra review by experts before a textbook is recommended to the state textbook committee, a process they said can filter out textbooks of poor quality or questionable content. The state has previously experienced controversies ranging from sexually graphic books being allowed in school libraries to a drag queen being hired as an elementary school principal.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters is at the forefront of the effort to reform the state's education system, drawing him detractors and praise. Walters warned while serving as Oklahoma's secretary of education in July 2022, "We've got folks in positions of power and administrators that are more focused on a woke ideology and an agenda rather than making sure kids can read and write."
As Oklahoma schools challenge ‘woke’ content, textbook publishers withdraw from state
Publishers are withdrawing their textbooks from review as Oklahoma increases its scrutiny on materials submitted for recommendation to the state textbook committee.
