Okla. Admin. Code § 720:10-5-3

Current through Vol. 42, No. 4, November 1, 2024

Section 720:10-5-3 - Criteria for State Textbook Committee selections

The State Textbook Committee shall consider the following when adopting materials.

(1) Align with recognized curriculum standards for the subject area the materials have been submitted for adoption.

(2) Are objective in content and impartial in interpretations, and which do not encourage or condone civil disorder, social strife or disregard for the law;

(3) Do not degrade, and where appropriate, teach high moral standards including:

(A) honesty

(B) respect for parents, teachers, and those properly in authority;

(C) the importance of the work ethic in achieving personal goals;

(D) the existence of absolute values of right and wrong.

(4) Emphasize the importance of the family as the core of American society and do not degrade traditional roles of men and women, boys and girls;

(5) Include the principles of the free enterprise system and the effectiveness of the system;

(6) Are designed to foster the intellectual development of the child by providing instruction in reading, writing and arithmetic, through centuries of academic endeavor, including an awareness of the religious and classical culture of the western world and its significance to the preservation of the liberties of the American people;

(7) Present balanced and factual treatments to controversial, political and social movements without biased editorial judgements;

(8) Do not promote illegal lifestyles or sexual behavior, sadistic or degrading behavior;

(9) Do not include blatantly offensive language or illustrations;

(10) Do not include violence for reasons of excitement, sensationalism or as an excuse for relevance. Violence, if it appears in textbook content, shall be treated in context of cause and consequence;

(11) Treat the subject of historical orgins of humankind in an objective and unbiased manner; and

(12) Do not invade the privacy of the pupils or pupils' parents.

Okla. Admin. Code § 720:10-5-3

Added at 11 Ok Reg 707, eff 11-22-93 (emergency); Added at 11 Ok Reg 3553, eff 6-27-94; Amended at 12 Ok Reg 3301, eff 6-27-95