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HighBeam Research
Title: In California textbooks row, a win-winsituation, apparently
Date:
March 24, 2006
Publication:
India Abroad
Author:
Mozumder,Suman GuhaIndia Abroad03-24-2006With the state board finally endorsing a mixed bag of changes torepresentation of history, both right and left groups claim victory The six-month-old battle between rival groups over changes in Gade VIhistory and social science textbooks in California ended last week with theState Board of Education deciding to endorse the recommendations of aspecial sub-committee on the issue.On March 8, the Board voted 9-0 to endorse the February 27recommendationsof the subcommittee which, in an admittedly compromise decision, hadrequested the board to adopt the changes on the portrayal of ancientHinduism in the textbooks.Ironically, both sides - the Hindu Education Foundation and the VedicFoundation that spearheaded the campaign against what they haddescribed asdistortions and defamatory references to ancient Hinduism in the textbooks, and the Friends of South Asia, the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America and the Coalition Against Communalism that had opposedtheedits or changes proposed by the likes of HEF and VF on grounds that theywere motivated by the sectarian agenda of fundamentalist Hindu forces -claimed victory of sorts over the board endorsement.'On behalf of Hindu community, we were able to correct a large number of distortions and inaccuracies,' said Khanderao Kand, a spokesperson of theHEF after the board endorsed the recommendations.On the other hand, Anu Mandavilli, a volunteer with the Friends of SouthAsia (FOSA), termed the SBE decision 'a clear victory' for South Asiancommunity groups. 'Having failed to muster scholarly support, the HAFthreatened to sue the board if it didn't revert to the CurriculumCommission's recommendations of December 2, 2005. The Board's 9-0vote to
 
reject the December 2 proposals of the commission and approve theFebruary27 recommendations is a clear message to these groups: Don't mess withhistory,' Mandavilli said in a statement.At the center of the controversy that began in September 2005 were anestimated 160-odd revisions, or 'edits' as they are called, proposed bygroups like the HEF and VF that have spearheaded the campaign tocorrect"distortions and defamatory references" to ancient Hinduism in the historytextbooks.Last year, these two groups in addition to many other individuals senttheir proposed changes to the Curriculum Commission, an advisory bodytothe State Education Board that looks at books every six years and calls forsuggestions for improvement from the members of the public. The process was almost nearing completion in November last year afteranad-hoc committee set up by the commission due to the large volumes of editssuggested approved many of the edits. Just before they were supposed tobesent to the Board, Professor Michael Witzel, Wales Professor of Sanskrit inthe Department of Sanskrit and Indian Studies in Harvard University andothers including noted historian Stanley Wolpert wrote to the Boardprotesting the changes. They said that the nature of the revisions as approved by the ad-hoccommittee were prompted more by the Hindu groups' 'hidden agenda'thanhistorical facts. Over 100 other academics of Indian origin from differenteducational institutions in the US also wrote a similar letter to theboard. Consequently, Witzel, Wolpert and a third academic were retainedbythe Board and the commission was asked to revisit the changes approvedbythe committee.Some of the edits with which the Witzel panel disagreed with thecommitteeaction related to women's position in ancient India. For example, thecommittee approved an edit that said 'men had different duties (dharma)aswell as rights than women. Many women were among the sages to whomtheVedas were revealed' to replace the current statement in the textbookswith
 
'men had many more rights than women.' The panel disapproved of thecommittee approval of the change and asked to retain the original.In December the commission in an about turn in the face of pressure fromgroups like HEF and VF and individuals, decided to revert back to theoriginal edits as approved by the committee, rejecting most of the Witzelpanel amendments to the original committee edits following a vote.Last month the sub-committee, however, announced that it has includedsomeof the edits as proposed by HEF, VF and others, but not all of them andleft out what the Hindu Press International described was "substantialnumber" of critical ones. Though the SBE has accepted most of the HEFrecommendations, we are concerned about the remaining change whichwouldkeep the textbooks offensive and historically inaccurate,' Kand said afterthe March 8 endorsement.'HEF also re-iterates its strong reservations about the process violations.Admitting late submissions of baseless allegations from a group of academicians was wrong. Moreover, appointing some of them asconsultant wasoutrageous and insulting," said Kand, referring to the appointment of Witzel. There were indications that even though the board had endorsed therecommendations, the HEF and others might pursue for legal action. "Wearelooking at legal options," Suhag Shukla, legal counsel for Hindu AmericanFoundation (HAF), told India Abroad. Kand also expressed similarsentiments. The rival groups countered that Threats of legal action are a clear sign of desperation on the part of the VF, HEF and HAF; these organizations areperhaps not aware that the board is familiar with lawsuits and cannot becowed by such threats,' added Thillai Kumaran, of FeTNA.Said Shalini Gera on behalf of the Coalition Against Communalism (CAC).'The SBE should be commended for rejecting the sectarian editsadvocated bythe Hindu Education Foundation and the Vedic Foundation. Their decisionrepresents a major victory for California children, who will benefit fromhaving historically accurate accounts of ancient Indian history.''The efforts of Hindu community has prevented grievous damage toHinduism,'said Gaurang Desai, west coast president of Friends of India SocietyInternational.
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