Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis is under fire for banning 41 percent of all math books in grades K-12, including a whopping 71 percent of books in grades K-5.
DeSantis’ Dept. of Education announced in a press release, “Florida Rejects Publishers’ Attempts to Indoctrinate Students.” The DeSantis administration does not appear to have published a list of banned books or specific reasons each book was banned, nor did they provide examples. They also did not explain how or why the supposed “indoctrination” materials were initially approved, how long they have been in use, or what negative outcomes they have produced, if any.
“The news of the banned textbooks comes after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill that makes it easier for parents to challenge books and instructional materials they don’t approve of,” Florida Politics reports. Supporters of the legislation says it gives parents more involvement in their children’s education, but opponents argue it opens the door to massive book bans. To note, Florida has third largest number of school book ban incidents in the country.”
Some say banning the books is just another way to reward GOP donors, by spending millions to buy new books.
The news has some in Florida and across the country angered and frustrated.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Florida Republican leaders are preparing to ban Algebra from high schools,” Florida native State Rep. Anna Eskamani (D) said, mocking DeSantis and the GOP in a sarcastic tweet. “They object to the subliminal use of [brackets] as an indoctrination to the concept of inclusion, they don’t like the equal sign, and they hate solving problems!”
Florida State Rep. Carlos G. Smith (D) says Desantis “is hysterically pulling math books outta FL schools claiming they ‘indoctrinate’ kids with CRT. This isn’t just crazy right-wing pandering— next they’ll spend MILLIONS of tax dollars forcing schools to buy math books from GOP campaign donors.”
He also accuses DeSantis of turning classrooms into “political battlefields,” and says the Florida Dept. of Education “won’t tell us” what books they banned “or what they say” because “it’s a lie.”
“Ron DeSantis banned 28 math books because he and his base are so terrified of critical race theory and Black people,” political commentator Lindy Li tweeted. “He banned abortion because he and his base are so scared of women having control over their own lives…Ladies and gents, this is ChristoFascism in a nutshell.”
“Our kids are already woefully behind our international rivals in STEM fields,” she added. “Not sure hindering the teaching of math is a helpful solution.”
Attorney and author Seth Abramson: “Ron DeSantis’ Reign of Insanity continues. Given that women’s bodies aren’t safe from him, why would *math* be?”