LULAC Applauds Texas Board of Education Decision to Reject Mexican American Studies Textbook

November 17, 2016

WASHINGTON, DC - The Texas Board of Education, in a unanimous 14-0 vote, rejected a textbook criticized for its erroneous and racist depictions of Mexican Americans. Some of the criticized material included claims that illegal immigration was responsible for the country's "economic and security problems" such as, "poverty, non-assimilation, drugs, crime and exploitation."

"The textbook falls short of the educational standards that our students deserve. False and racist depictions of Mexican laborers as 'not reared to put in a full day's work so vigorously' have no place in a Texas classroom. We applaud the Texas Board of Education's decision to reject this textbook and ensure an educational curriculum that is free of racial bias," said LULAC National President Roger C. Rocha, Jr.

Although the textbook will not be on the recommended textbook list or be approved by the Texas Board of Education, nothing bars the publishers from selling the book to Texas public school districts. LULAC urges parents to be vigilant and oppose efforts from their local school to purchase the book entitled, Mexican American Heritage.

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The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.lulac.org.