Ron DeSantis' math textbook hoax

[Nevilledog]

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Judd Legum
@JuddLegum
Quick reminder that @GovRonDeSantis was caught in a clear lie.

DeSantis falsely claimed that math textbook publishers were trying to indoctrinate elementary students with "race essentialism."

In fact, no reviewer found a trace of CRT in those textbooks

https://popular.info/p/ron-desantis-math-textbook-hoax?s=w…

The Florida Department of Education issued an alarming press release on April 15: "Florida Rejects Publishers’ Attempts to Indoctrinate Students." The release claimed that publishers of dozens of math textbooks were attempting to indoctrinate Florida students with Critical Race Theory (CRT), Social Emotional Learning (SEL), and Common Core.

The release included a quote from Governor Ron DeSantis, who explicitly stated that publishers were targeting elementary school students with radical theories about race:

“It seems that some publishers attempted to slap a coat of paint on an old house built on the foundation of Common Core, and indoctrinating concepts like race essentialism, especially, bizarrely, for elementary school students,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “I’m grateful that Commissioner Corcoran and his team at the Department have conducted such a thorough vetting of these textbooks to ensure they comply with the law.”

Attempting to use math textbooks to indoctrinate elementary school students with "race essentialism," which is how right-wing activists characterize CRT, would be bizarre. DeSantis did not provide any proof for his claim that elementary school students were being targeted with CRT, but it nevertheless generated a slew of credulous headlines:



There was one problem with DeSantis' claim: It was completely and unequivocally false. No reviewer of Florida math textbooks for elementary school students found any instances of CRT. The truth is that each of the reviewers explicitly stated that they did not find any instances of CRT.

*snip*

[exboyfil]

1. And you would have a problem if you excluded textbooks that contained Common Core

Since about 80% (or more) of the state standards probably comply with common core.

Any team based learning would fall under SEL as well it appears (don't know much about that). Someone should red line every location in state standards that agree with common core.

Also there is a bunch of stuff in textbooks that aren't in state standards that students need to learn math. Highlight those as well.

[lame54]

2. The real reason they hate math books...

Too many equal signs

[SoonerPride]

8. hahahaha well played

[Baitball Blogger]

3. They just blab whatever racist trope they want and no one from the media

hounds them for the facts.

[kiranon]

4. DeSantis wants to put white nationalism in the text books

and other Extreme Right Wing - now main stream Republican themes. Projection is the great predictor. And, there is no CRT in the sense the Republicans are using it. Agree that there are no ='s in their math or other textbooks - just propaganda.

[Roland99]

5. Because fellow qultist Gov Youngkin was CEO of Carlyle Group which owns the ONE publisher left!!

It’s always about the grift!

[mopinko]

6. desatan has ties to the publisher left standing.

follow the money.

[andym]

7. DeSantis scceeded in getting publicity he wanted

the truth which comes out later is heard by few and is irrelevant to his goal.

[BlueTsunami2018]

9. It doesn't matter.

There isn’t anything outside of professing a liberal view on something other than guns that will make a difference to his supporters.