State Board of Education rejects 41% of math textbooks

School districts and their teachers are scrambling to check their lesson plans after dozens of books were banned for being inappropriate. The State Board of Education has a list, and 41% of math textbooks aren’t allowed in schools.

Lee County School Board member Gwyn Gittens said the focus should be directed toward the students. And that journey means everyone must work together: the state, the school board, parents, teachers and students themselves.

Never before has the state rejected 41% of math textbooks. So, when Lee County School Board member Gwyn Gittens heard the news, she couldn’t believe it. “I believe that educating our students should be nonpartisan,” said Gittens.

Are politics mixing with education in Florida? On Tuesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis joined Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran at a news conference. They took questions about the state’s decision to say “no” to all those textbooks. They called them all “inappropriate.”

“We said, when you do math, you’re going to be taught to get the right answer. And that’s the, that’s the role. And we’re going to keep it that way. We’re not going to do this other stuff,” DeSantis said.

“The other stuff” is suff the Gov. DeSantis has made clear he opposes, like critical race theory and social-emotional learning. The State has not offered specific examples of what’s wrong with local schools boards or parents.

Corcoran is the closest anyone has come to explaining it. “Yeah, it’s a math textbook, you’re trying to teach two plus two equals four. And it’s like this whole hidden agenda of indoctrination, to his point that, you know, I don’t care how you feel when you’re doing the problem, just be able to solve it,” said Corcoran.

Gittens knows one thing is for sure. “If decisions are made in Tallahassee at DOE, and they’re made law, then we have to follow what they say,” Gittens said.

“Any of the books that don’t meet the best standards are, are… are not going to be appropriate for us to use,” said DeSantis.

“We find a way to make it work together. And especially if kids are our main interest,” said Gittens.

WINK News reached out to the publishers of the rejected books. A spokesperson for McGraw-Hill said the company reviews the matter and seeks detailed feedback from the DOE’s Process Administrators.