This book recounts in narrative form the influence of Mel and Norma Gabler, two Texas parents, on the purchase of textbooks for Texas schools. Concerned over content they found objectionable, for more than ten years the Gablers used direct mail campaigns, radio talk shows, petition drives, and personal appearances, in addition to testifying…

Various perspectives on the highly complex textbook debate are presented in this book, which includes essays by educators, publishers, policymakers, and scholars. Currently, the advocates of higher academic standards, coherence, and quality occupy the strongest position in the debate. Part 1 looks at textbooks from a historical perspective. The…

This analysis of U.S. history textbooks from the 19th century to the present examines how and why textbooks have changed during certain decades. The book is organized into three chapters. Chapter I, Past Masters, discusses the politics of textbook publishing, the influence of large adoption units, and the book from which a majority of American…

Divided into three main sections, this monograph about the Kanawha County textbook controversy deals with lessons drawn from that conflict. In answering the question of what happened, the author begins with events that predated any outward signs of dissent, such as the phasing out of the citizen advisory committee on textbook selection, and…