Update: California Board of Education Meets to Discuss Proposed Textbook Changes

Source: Hindu Press International

On January 8, 2006 Hindu Press International reported, "California State Board of Education members and staff conducted a special, closed-door meeting onJanuary 6 to revisit the Hindu requests [proposed by two Hindu groups, the HinduEducation Foundation and the Vedic Foundation] for changes in the 6th gradesocial studies books currently proposed for adoption by the State... In the all-day meeting, the group went over every one of the disputed edits. At thebeginning, the ground rules were set in such a way by the Board that Dr.Witzel [scholar of Sanskrit at Harvard University] and Dr. Bajpai [scholar of Indian History] would discuss each disputed edit and try to arriveat a compromise solution acceptable to both. [Witzel and Bajpai have been on opposing sides of the edit proposals for the past few months]... Overall, it was estimated that perhaps 85% of the Hindu changes wereaccepted in original or modified form. This meeting was, however, stillan advisory meeting, and nothing was finalized. The Board of Educationis holding its next meeting in February."