Miami-Dade school board approves social studies instructional material – NBC 6 South Florida

Over the last two years in Florida, the battles over school textbooks have become politically charged.

After months of discussions and changes, on Wednesday, the textbooks that Miami-Dade Public School students will be taught social studies from were approved for the next school year. 

All the school board members were in agreement, from those appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and those elected who lean more liberal. 

One of the biggest concerns of those opposed to the textbooks was that kids would learn that slaves benefited in some way from their experiences, but school board members said Wednesday that material is not in these social studies books. 

However, some teachers still have other concerns with the approved material. 

“A curriculum is a curriculum and a textbook is a textbook, but we trust and have confidence in our teachers to navigate our students in an age-appropriate way through some difficult topics,” said school board member Dr. Steve Gallon.

“The books match the standards, but the books are full of government-opposed indoctrination,” teacher Crystal Etienne said. “We have the government from K-12 now defining what patriotism, defining moral values, defining virtues.”

Click here for the list of approved textbooks and an overview of the adoption process.