Defending the Faith: New Battleground in Textbook War

[Guest guest]

>Defending the Faith: New Battleground in Textbook War>Religion in History,

Hindu, Islamic, Jewish Groups fault portrayals of events>and often win

changes>DANIEL GOLDEN>THE WALL STREET JOURNAL>January 25, 2006>>The victors

write the history books, the saying goes. But increasingly,>religious advocates

try to edit them.>>Religious pressure on textbooks is growing well beyond

Christian>fundamentalists' attack on evolution. History books are the

biggest>battleground, as groups vie for changes in texts for elementary and

secondary>schools that cast their faiths in a better light.>>Two Hindu groups

and a Jewish group have been set up in the past three years as>textbook

watchdogs, adding to Islamic advocates who have monitored history>textbooks

since 1990. In addition, some Sikhs have started to complain about>being

short-changed in history textbooks.>QUESTION OF THE DAY>>All are seeking to

extract concessions as California holds its periodic approval>process for

history textbooks. The process drives school-district purchases in>the most

populous state, and books adopted for California typically are the>ones that

schools in the rest of the country end up using for several years.>>Hindu

groups, in particular, have swamped California authorities with

proposed>revisions, which would delete or soften references to polytheism, the

caste>system and the inferior status of women in ancient India. For example,

the>Hindu Education Foundation, a group linked to a Hindu nationalist

organization>in India, proposed replacing a textbook's statement that "men had

many more>rights than women" in ancient India with: "Men had different duties

.... as well>as rights than women. Many women were among the sages to whom the

Vedas [sacred>texts] were revealed.">>California's Curriculum Commission

endorsed this and most other changes pushed>by Hindu groups, moving the matter

along to the state board of education, which>usually follows its advice. But

then a strong objection to such changes arrived>from a group of U.S. scholars,

led by a Harvard professor, Michael Witzel. The>scholars' protest, in turn, led

to a lawsuit threat, a call for Harvard to>disband the professor's department,

and finally an unusual state-sponsored>head-to-head debate between two scholars

of ancient India.>>Underlying such free-for-alls is the question of whether

lobbying by religious>groups yields a more sensitive and accurate version of

history or a>sugar-coated one -- and also whether students are served better or

less well.>"It tends to be scholar pitted against believer," says Kenneth

Noonan, a member>of the state education board.>>For textbook publishers,

meanwhile, to ignore religious groups is to risk>exclusion from markets. One of

the nation's largest school districts, Fairfax>County, Va., dropped a

McGraw-Hill Cos. 10th-grade text from its recommended>list last year after

complaints from Hindu parents, keeping it out of>classrooms there.>>Religious

protests nearly crippled Oxford University Press's effort to enter the>U.S.

world-history textbook market. The prestigious university press sought

to>impress California authorities with cutting-edge scholarship and

narrative>verve, but the Curriculum Commission initially recommended against

adopting>Oxford's sixth-grade book last fall after Jewish and Hindu groups

objected to>it.>>The Institute for Curriculum Services, a Jewish group set up

in 2004 to>scrutinize textbooks, was upset by the book's statement that

archaeology and>ancient Egyptian records don't support the Biblical account of

the Exodus of>the Israelite slaves from Egypt. While conceding this was true,

the group said>the book didn't apply the same skepticism to Islamic or

Christian events, such>as when it said that "ancient writings" and the Gospel

according to Matthew>relate that "wise men (probably philosophers or

astrologers) followed a>brightly shining star" when Jesus was born. Similarly,

the book said that>"according to Muslim tradition," the prophet Muhammad flew

into heaven from the>site of the Dome of the Rock mosque.>>The Hindu groups,

meanwhile, called the book's tone insensitive, such as its>heading over a

column about vegetarianism in India: "Where's the Beef?" The>state board

finally put the book on its approved list after Oxford cut the>passages found

objectionable and added a paragraph saying that for Jews, the>Exodus is a

"central event in their history" and "powerful symbol of the>importance of

freedom.">>Casper Grathwohl, an official of Oxford University Press, says it

preserved its>integrity, and the give-and-take improved the text. But he

complains that "the>process is skewed toward giving the loudest voices what

they want.">>Every six years, California adopts a list of history books for

kindergarten>through eighth grade, and districts can spend designated state

money only for>books on this list. Publishers typically roll out new textbooks

for the state,>whose districts are expected to buy nearly $200 million of

history books over>the next two years. California alone represents 10% to 12%

of the national>textbook market.>>In the 1970s and 1980s, history texts shied

away from religion. "They didn't use>the 'capital G' word," says Roger Rogalin,

a publishing consultant. "They said>the pilgrims gave thanks on Thanksgiving,

but they didn't say to whom.">>Difficult Goals>>Prodded by religious groups,

states began requiring more coverage of the topic.>But they imposed goals that

can be hard to reconcile: both maintaining>historical accuracy and enhancing

the pride and self-esteem of believers.>California's guidelines, for instance,

say students "should understand the>intense religious passions that have

produced fanaticism and war." But also,>texts should avoid "reflecting

adversely" on anyone's creed or instilling>"prejudice against...those who

believe in other religions.">>Such cautions provide an opportunity for

religious activists such as the Council>on Islamic Education in Fountain

Valley, Calif. In California's most recent>review, the council called for

extensive changes, most of which the state>appears likely to accept.>>One

target: A Prentice Hall text said the medieval spread of Islam was partly>due

to military conquest. "Actual conversion to Islam did NOT occur...at the>point

of a sword," the council told the state. A specialist appointed by the>state

board to review Islamic coverage recommended dropping the reference,

and>Prentice Hall says it will do so.>>Publishers often hire the Council on

Islamic Education to prescreen manuscripts.>In California, the council is a

"content consultant" for Houghton Mifflin Co.>and Ballard & Tighe Co., an

educational publisher in Brea, Calif. The council>has sometimes advised

Prentice Hall and other publishers as well.>>Publishers have allowed the

Islamic group to "dictate" content, charges Gilbert>Sewall, director of the

American Textbook Council, a New York nonprofit group>that reviews history

texts and has said they often lack depth and factual>fidelity. "Islamic

pressure groups have been working energetically for 15 years>to scrub the past

in instructional materials," he wrote to California officials.>He added that

"textbooks submitted either gloss over jihad, sharia [islamic>law], Muslim

slavery, the status of women and Islamic terrorism -- or omit the>subject

altogether.">>Houghton Mifflin says it hasn't ceded any control to the Council

on Islamic>Education, and seeks Hindu, Jewish, Protestant, Catholic and

Buddhist>perspectives too. "We listen to their input and weigh it against what

our>scholarly authors believe is true," a spokesman says. Ballard & Tighe says

its>text was examined by Jewish and Hindu experts as well as the Islamic

council.>"We're mostly looking not to insult people," says an executive of

the>publisher. A spokeswoman for Prentice Hall says it has found the Council

on>Islamic Education to be a "solid resource for reviewing content.">>The

council's founder, Shabbir Mansuri, says that texts are treating Islam>better

not because of his efforts but because of state guidelines that

stress>sensitivity toward religious beliefs.>>Disputes over textbook portrayal

of Hinduism are a staple of politics in India,>and the concerns have arrived in

America along with many Indian immigrants. The>conventional view of ancient

India in U.S. history texts is that men enjoyed>more rights than women and

that, then as now, Hindus worshipped many gods and>were divided into

castes.>>But the Hindu Education Foundation and the Vedic Foundation, the

educational arm>of a Hindu temple in Austin, Texas, say Hinduism is

monotheistic because all of>its deities are aspects of one god, Brahman. So

when one textbook referred to>Hindus visiting temples to "express their love of

the gods," this should be>changed to "express their love for God," said the

Vedic group.>>The groups repeatedly proposed deleting references to the caste

system and>making other changes that burnished the image of Indian history and

culture.>For instance, McGraw-Hill's book said of an early monarch called Asoka

that his>"tolerance was unusual for the time." The Hindu Education Foundation

suggested>changing "unusual" to "usual.">>'Source of Misunderstanding'>>At the

Vedic Foundation, "Our motto is to re-establish the greatness of>Hinduism, and

part of that is to correct the textbooks," says Janeshwari Devi,>director of

programs. "Those are a source of misunderstanding, prejudice and>derogatory

information.">>Some Hindu students say they're humiliated in school because

texts dwell on>customs such as ostracism of untouchables and an old tradition,

rarely observed>today, of "sati" -- widows immolating themselves on their

husbands' funeral>pyres. Trisha Pasricha, a high-school junior in a Houston

suburb, says she used>to deny being Hindu to classmates because she was tired

of refuting stereotypes>perpetuated by textbooks and teachers. "The textbooks

bring up all these>obscure practices, like bride burning, and act like they

happen every day," she>says. "The biggest mistake is that Hinduism is portrayed

as polytheistic. And>the caste system has nothing to do with Hinduism. But no

one believes you,>because it's in the textbook.">>But some prominent scholars,

both non-Hindu and Hindu, say the books were right.>According to Madhav

Deshpande, a Sanskrit professor at the University of>Michigan who is Hindu,

Hinduism is polytheistic and linked to the caste system,>and women did have

inferior status in ancient India.>>He says the Hindu groups hold a mistaken

position that dates to when India was>ruled by Britain in the 19th century and

under pressure from Christian>missionaries. The missionaries told prospective

converts Christianity was>superior because it had one god, treated women

fairly, and didn't have castes,>Mr. Deshpande says, adding that to counter,

Hindu intellectuals made up an>argument that their religion had once been the

same way. The foundations'>contention that the caste system developed

separately from Hinduism is>incorrect, he maintains, because "in ancient texts,

there is no distinction>between the religious and nonreligious domains of

life.">>Jackson Spielvogel, a retired Penn State professor and author of

McGraw-Hill's>"Ancient Civilizations" textbook, says, "You can't allow Hindu

nationalists to>rewrite the history of India.... It becomes an issue of

censorship.">>To review changes proposed by the Hindu groups, California hired

an expert>recommended by one of the groups: Shiva Bajpai, a retired California

State>University history professor. He endorsed most of their changes. "I want

to>recognize the negatives but project the positives," says Mr. Bajpai, who

is>Hindu.>>With his blessing, the changes were rolling toward ratification by

the state>board when Harvard's Prof. Witzel unexpectedly intervened. Alerted by

an>Indian-American graduate student whom the Vedic Foundation had approached

to>support its changes, Mr. Witzel wrote to the board the day before a Nov.

9>meeting at which approval of the Hindu-backed changes was expected. "They

are>unscholarly [and] politically and religiously motivated," wrote Mr. Witzel,

a>Sanskrit professor. His letter was co-signed by nearly 50 scholars,

including>Mr. Deshpande of Michigan.>>Mr. Witzel calls the Hindu Education

Foundation a front for a prominent>nationalist group in India, the Rashtriya

Swayamsevak Sangh, whose leader>caused a stir in November by urging Hindu women

to have more children to keep>up with the Muslim growth rate. A spokesman for

the Hindu Education Foundation>acknowledges a connection -- it was established

by the U.S. counterpart of the>Indian group -- but says it acts

independently.>>State officials did an about-face after they got Mr. Witzel's

letter, inviting>him and two like-minded scholars to scrutinize Mr. Bajpai's

recommendations.>When the three advised restoring much of the textbooks'

original wording, angry>letters began pouring in from Hindu groups. One, the

Hindu American Foundation,>threatened to sue the state. A petition from Hindu

advocates called on Harvard>to end its association with "Aryan Supremacist

Creationist hate mongering.">Harvard responded by defending Mr. Witzel's

academic freedom.>>The groups persuaded two members of California's

congressional delegation to>weigh in. Rep. Pete Stark, a Unitarian, and Rep.

Linda Sanchez, a Catholic,>asked the state superintendent of public instruction

to investigate Mr. Witzel.>The superintendent replied that the state had already

held three public hearings>on the history texts, received more than 1,000 pages

of testimony, and>considered more than 800 textual changes.>>The pendulum swung

back on Dec. 2, when the Curriculum Commission voted to>support most of the

changes sought by the Hindu foundations. "We have to err on>the side of

sensitivity toward religion," a commission member, Stan Metzenberg,>said at the

time.>>The game wasn't over. Other Hindu groups -- including members of

the>"untouchables" caste -- entered the fray on Mr. Witzel's behalf. The

Dalit>Freedom Network, an advocacy group for untouchables, wrote to the

education>board that the proposed Vedic and Hindu Education Foundation changes

reflect "a>view of Indian history that softens...the violent truth of

caste-based>discrimination in India.... Do not allow politically-minded

revisionists to>change Indian history.">>Caught in the cross-fire, the board of

education summoned Mr. Witzel and Mr.>Bajpai to an unusual private session Jan.

6. Before board and commission>members, staffers and the board's lawyer, the

scholars debated each edit.>>"It was a gladiator combat," Mr. Bajpai recalls,

"the most acrimonious thing I>have ever done in my entire life. It deteriorated

into me telling him he didn't>understand anything." Mr. Witzel says Mr. Bajpai

"mixed his religion with>scholarship.">>The duo did reach consensus on some

changes. They agreed to narrow the>McGraw-Hill text's statement that men in

ancient India had "more rights" than>women to "more property rights" -- but not

to the Hindu groups' preferred>wording of "different" rights.>>Still, it isn't

certain the compromises reached by the two scholars will stand.>At a meeting

Jan. 12, the state board of education created a subcommittee to>reconsider the

matter -- and to prepare for still more religious pressure when>books are

expected to be added to the list in two years.>>Write to Daniel Golden at

dan.golden (AT) wsj (DOT) com>>>>>------------------------------->This

message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.>>