Minority, women coverage prompts Ohio school board to reject history textbook

Jet, July 15, 1996

The Hudson, OH, school board rejected an American history textbook after residents and members of a national conservative organization complained that it contained too much information about minorities, women and slaves.

Residents and members of the Hudson chapter of Christians for Excellence in Education said the book, The American People, was too multicultural in its treatment of American history and had "too many details on the difficulties experienced by slaves, indentured servants, immigrants, farmers and industrial workers."

"There is an overabundant supply of material on women, African-Americans and Native Americans," said Robert Lattimer, a leader of the local chapter of the group opposing the use of the book.

Teachers and administrators selected the book as the best choice for an honors history course at Hudson High School, which is just north of Akron. The 12-year-old, college-level history book is one of the best selling textbooks in the country, according to its publisher, Addison Wesley Longman Publishing, and is in its third edition.

The educators did not get the majority of votes needed to get the book approved for the class. Two board members voted for the book, one against it and two abstained, The Plain Dealer reported.