In 2016 and 2017, there was a significant debate on how topics related to South Asia were represented in California middle school textbooks [1] [2] [3]âa follow-up to a related set of debates that took place from 2005 to 2009. These new debates were fueled by varying religious groups who felt the 2009 changes were incorrect, or pushed political agendas. [4] The California Department of Education runs a public process to update the history and social sciences curriculum frameworks, which help guide the textbooks that publishers develop for students. [1] Starting in 2016, groups submitted textbook revisions dealing with a variety of issues related to histories of South Asia, [5] India, [5] Hinduism, [5] [6] Sikhism, [5] [6] [7] Dalits, [5] [7] Muslims, [7] Ravidassias, [7] the Indus Valley civilization, [5] and the rights of women, [5] as taught in California 6th and 7th grade history and social science textbooks. [5] [8] The Department of Education made final decisions on the topics in 2017, retaining content on the caste system, and referring to all of historical South Asia as India, among many other decisions. [9] [10]
Since 2005, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has been involved in advocacy for changes within California textbooks. Over 2016-2017, they sent letters, joined petitions, and published articles, working towards a claimed goal of making educational content within California inclusive and accurate. In 2017, the HAF participated in the California Department of Education's textbook adoption process. [11][ non-primary source needed] Many academics and American Hindus who were critical of the HAF's involvement accused the organization of pushing Hindutva ideologies within their proposed changes. [4]
Another group was organized as "South Asian Histories for All", describing itself as an "inter-caste, multi-faith group of activists," which "cited inaccuracies regarding caste and other issues in the textbook material, and called for a delay on the booksâ approval so that they could be submitted for further editing." [5]
Academics also played an important role. There were two primary sets of academics providing comment on the issues:
On September 28, 2017, the California Department of Education published a list of edits and corrections. Some, but not all, changes include:
Original Text | Corrections | Reference/Int. Ref. Number |
---|---|---|
"Sikhism blends teachings from Islam and Hinduism." | "Sikhism preached a path that was both independent from Hinduism and Islam." | [12]2 |
âChandra Gupta I founds the Gupta Empire,â | âChandragupta Maurya.â | [12]3 |
âSikhism in India,â | âSikhism in South Asia.â | [12]12 |
âWhile Guru Nanak was raised Hindu, Sikhs do not consider their religion a branch of Hinduism, though some have argued otherwise,â | âWhile Guru Nanak was raised Hindu, Sikhs do not consider their religion a branch of Hinduism.â | [12]14 |
âHowever, some aspects of the caste system are still observed in two areas of Sikh societyâmarriage and some gurdwaras, or places of worship. Sikhs are expected to marry someone of their own caste. Some castes have also created gurdwaras for their caste only,â | âHowever, some aspects of the caste system are voluntarily observed in two areas of some Sikh societiesâmarriage and some gurdwaras, or places of worship. While not required, some Sikhs may choose to marry someone of their own caste. Some castes have also created gurdwaras.â | [12]18 |
âThese articles include a turban, a sword, a metal bracelet, and a wooden comb,â | âThese articles include uncut hair, a religious sword, a metal bracelet, and a wooden comb." | [12]19 |
Advocates disagreed on whether and how the history of the caste system should be included in history books, and how Dalit communities should be named. [13]
The proposal to rename "Untouchables" as "socially ostracized and economically disadvantaged communities" was rejected by the Instructional Quality Commission, and the use of the word Dalit was incorporated into the curriculum framework. [5] Commission members also rejected a suggestion that would describe jati groups as "self-governing." [9]
However, according to The Caravan, "the final textbook matches HAFâs suggested edits more closely than it does the framework text. For example, while the framework had described the Dalit community by name, the approved National Geographic textbook fails to do so. It notes, 'At the bottom were slaves, laborers, and artisansâŚMany centuries later, another group developed that was considered even lower'." [5]
After debate, the Sikh Coalition praised the final textbook curriculum for retaining the language. [14] However, National Geographic, one of the publishers who developed a textbook based on the curriculum, dropped references to Nanakâs opposition to the caste system. [5] Sikh groups pointed to a Hindu American Foundation employee credited in the textbook as a "reviewer of religious content". [5] According to The Caravan, the Hindu American Foundation "affirmed that the foundation had worked directly with all the publishers except for Studies Weekly and McGraw Hill." [5]
The Instructional Quality Commission agreed to retain language naming Saund's Sikh identity. [16]
The California Department of Education's Instructional Quality Commission eventually decided to use the word "India" in every instance within the curriculum framework. [21] [22]
The Instructional Quality Commission rejected the edits, retaining the phrase "Indus Valley civilization." [5]
Subsequently, the textbook review panel flagged publisher Pearson's references to the "Sarasvati River," responding with comments like "This is a subject of controversy, not settled factâŚRemove mention of âSarasvatiâ and refer to it as âIndus Valley civilization'". In response, a Pearson employee defended the usage, stating that the changes were requested by the Hindu American Foundation, the Hindu Education Foundation, and Hindupedia. [5] The Instructional Quality Commission upheld the original request, and Pearson revised its textbook. [5]
A coalition led by the Hindu American Foundation and other community groups that included nearly 40 academics, about 74 interfaith organizations and elected officials like Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and California State Senator Steve Glazer urged the California Board of Education to review the draft to ensure fair representation of Hinduism, Jainism and Indian culture. [23] Dozens of Indian-American students spoke out against the South Asia Faculty Group's suggested edits, accusing them of Hinduphobia and robbing them of selfhood. [2]
In 2016 and 2017, there was a significant debate on how topics related to South Asia were represented in California middle school textbooks [1] [2] [3]âa follow-up to a related set of debates that took place from 2005 to 2009. These new debates were fueled by varying religious groups who felt the 2009 changes were incorrect, or pushed political agendas. [4] The California Department of Education runs a public process to update the history and social sciences curriculum frameworks, which help guide the textbooks that publishers develop for students. [1] Starting in 2016, groups submitted textbook revisions dealing with a variety of issues related to histories of South Asia, [5] India, [5] Hinduism, [5] [6] Sikhism, [5] [6] [7] Dalits, [5] [7] Muslims, [7] Ravidassias, [7] the Indus Valley civilization, [5] and the rights of women, [5] as taught in California 6th and 7th grade history and social science textbooks. [5] [8] The Department of Education made final decisions on the topics in 2017, retaining content on the caste system, and referring to all of historical South Asia as India, among many other decisions. [9] [10]
Since 2005, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) has been involved in advocacy for changes within California textbooks. Over 2016-2017, they sent letters, joined petitions, and published articles, working towards a claimed goal of making educational content within California inclusive and accurate. In 2017, the HAF participated in the California Department of Education's textbook adoption process. [11][ non-primary source needed] Many academics and American Hindus who were critical of the HAF's involvement accused the organization of pushing Hindutva ideologies within their proposed changes. [4]
Another group was organized as "South Asian Histories for All", describing itself as an "inter-caste, multi-faith group of activists," which "cited inaccuracies regarding caste and other issues in the textbook material, and called for a delay on the booksâ approval so that they could be submitted for further editing." [5]
Academics also played an important role. There were two primary sets of academics providing comment on the issues:
On September 28, 2017, the California Department of Education published a list of edits and corrections. Some, but not all, changes include:
Original Text | Corrections | Reference/Int. Ref. Number |
---|---|---|
"Sikhism blends teachings from Islam and Hinduism." | "Sikhism preached a path that was both independent from Hinduism and Islam." | [12]2 |
âChandra Gupta I founds the Gupta Empire,â | âChandragupta Maurya.â | [12]3 |
âSikhism in India,â | âSikhism in South Asia.â | [12]12 |
âWhile Guru Nanak was raised Hindu, Sikhs do not consider their religion a branch of Hinduism, though some have argued otherwise,â | âWhile Guru Nanak was raised Hindu, Sikhs do not consider their religion a branch of Hinduism.â | [12]14 |
âHowever, some aspects of the caste system are still observed in two areas of Sikh societyâmarriage and some gurdwaras, or places of worship. Sikhs are expected to marry someone of their own caste. Some castes have also created gurdwaras for their caste only,â | âHowever, some aspects of the caste system are voluntarily observed in two areas of some Sikh societiesâmarriage and some gurdwaras, or places of worship. While not required, some Sikhs may choose to marry someone of their own caste. Some castes have also created gurdwaras.â | [12]18 |
âThese articles include a turban, a sword, a metal bracelet, and a wooden comb,â | âThese articles include uncut hair, a religious sword, a metal bracelet, and a wooden comb." | [12]19 |
Advocates disagreed on whether and how the history of the caste system should be included in history books, and how Dalit communities should be named. [13]
The proposal to rename "Untouchables" as "socially ostracized and economically disadvantaged communities" was rejected by the Instructional Quality Commission, and the use of the word Dalit was incorporated into the curriculum framework. [5] Commission members also rejected a suggestion that would describe jati groups as "self-governing." [9]
However, according to The Caravan, "the final textbook matches HAFâs suggested edits more closely than it does the framework text. For example, while the framework had described the Dalit community by name, the approved National Geographic textbook fails to do so. It notes, 'At the bottom were slaves, laborers, and artisansâŚMany centuries later, another group developed that was considered even lower'." [5]
After debate, the Sikh Coalition praised the final textbook curriculum for retaining the language. [14] However, National Geographic, one of the publishers who developed a textbook based on the curriculum, dropped references to Nanakâs opposition to the caste system. [5] Sikh groups pointed to a Hindu American Foundation employee credited in the textbook as a "reviewer of religious content". [5] According to The Caravan, the Hindu American Foundation "affirmed that the foundation had worked directly with all the publishers except for Studies Weekly and McGraw Hill." [5]
The Instructional Quality Commission agreed to retain language naming Saund's Sikh identity. [16]
The California Department of Education's Instructional Quality Commission eventually decided to use the word "India" in every instance within the curriculum framework. [21] [22]
The Instructional Quality Commission rejected the edits, retaining the phrase "Indus Valley civilization." [5]
Subsequently, the textbook review panel flagged publisher Pearson's references to the "Sarasvati River," responding with comments like "This is a subject of controversy, not settled factâŚRemove mention of âSarasvatiâ and refer to it as âIndus Valley civilization'". In response, a Pearson employee defended the usage, stating that the changes were requested by the Hindu American Foundation, the Hindu Education Foundation, and Hindupedia. [5] The Instructional Quality Commission upheld the original request, and Pearson revised its textbook. [5]
A coalition led by the Hindu American Foundation and other community groups that included nearly 40 academics, about 74 interfaith organizations and elected officials like Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and California State Senator Steve Glazer urged the California Board of Education to review the draft to ensure fair representation of Hinduism, Jainism and Indian culture. [23] Dozens of Indian-American students spoke out against the South Asia Faculty Group's suggested edits, accusing them of Hinduphobia and robbing them of selfhood. [2]