VSK TN
California
Department of Education (CDE) has planned to remove a word “India”
and replace it with “South Asia” and the word “Hinduism” by
referring it as a “religion of ancient India.” These changes will
take place for 6th and 7th grade, history-social sciences textbooks. There are
many such instances observed in proposed changes that can mislead children to
understand the meaning and importance of words such as India, Hindu, Hinduism
and Vedas.
Incorrect and conflicting choices of words can impart misinformation to over
half a million school children, who learn from these textbooks. Also, CDE
textbooks and syllabus get adopted by most of the states’ education
departments. Hence it is a matter of concern.
A group of professors
including Sheldon Pollock, Robert Goldman, Lawrence Cohen and Kamala
Visweswaran, under the name of ‘South Asia Faculty Group’ had written to the
Department of Education, suggesting that most references to ‘India’ before 1947
be replaced with “South Asia”. The suggestions had created a huge uproar in the
Indian-American community based in California. Earlier this week a petition by
a group of scholars named ‘Scholars for People’ and signed by over 18,000
people had asked the commission “Would you presume to deny the reality of
India’s existence and history, and its deep significance to Indian American
students in California, simply because a few misinformed professors of “South
Asia Studies” wrote you a letter recommending you re-educate California’s
children in this bizarre manner?”
including Sheldon Pollock, Robert Goldman, Lawrence Cohen and Kamala
Visweswaran, under the name of ‘South Asia Faculty Group’ had written to the
Department of Education, suggesting that most references to ‘India’ before 1947
be replaced with “South Asia”. The suggestions had created a huge uproar in the
Indian-American community based in California. Earlier this week a petition by
a group of scholars named ‘Scholars for People’ and signed by over 18,000
people had asked the commission “Would you presume to deny the reality of
India’s existence and history, and its deep significance to Indian American
students in California, simply because a few misinformed professors of “South
Asia Studies” wrote you a letter recommending you re-educate California’s
children in this bizarre manner?”
A large number of
students and parents testified at the public hearing of the commission held in
Sacramento on March 24th seeking the rejection of these changes.
students and parents testified at the public hearing of the commission held in
Sacramento on March 24th seeking the rejection of these changes.
Bill Honig, the Chair
of the Subject Matter Committee of the Commission said at the public hearing
that they reject the suggestion for removal of India but agreed to add “South
Asia” in parenthesis after most mentions to ancient India. The new
recommendations will be forwarded to the State Board of Education for their
consideration and the final draft of the framework is to be accepted later this
year.
of the Subject Matter Committee of the Commission said at the public hearing
that they reject the suggestion for removal of India but agreed to add “South
Asia” in parenthesis after most mentions to ancient India. The new
recommendations will be forwarded to the State Board of Education for their
consideration and the final draft of the framework is to be accepted later this
year.
The recommendations
will come up for consideration at the California’s State Board of Education’s
(SBE) meeting in May.
will come up for consideration at the California’s State Board of Education’s
(SBE) meeting in May.
Dr. Manmohan Vaidya,
RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramuk tweeted, “The leftist scholars’ bid to
undermine India’s glorious identity was foiled by young Hindu activists and HEF
in California, USA. Congrats to Hindu activists to successfully oppose &
contest the suggestion to replace ‘India’ by ‘South Asia’ in text books in USA”.
Dr Vaidya.
RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramuk tweeted, “The leftist scholars’ bid to
undermine India’s glorious identity was foiled by young Hindu activists and HEF
in California, USA. Congrats to Hindu activists to successfully oppose &
contest the suggestion to replace ‘India’ by ‘South Asia’ in text books in USA”.
Dr Vaidya.