Racine schools review textbook policy after parents complain about Obama excerpt

Talk about it

Racine schools will review the way they choose textbooks after a passage Barack Obama used in a political speech showed up in an eighth-grade literature book.

A parent complained to a local blogger, after finding an excerpt from Obama’s 1995 book “Dreams from My Father, a Story of Race and Inheritance.”

Obama used the passage in his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.

The parent found it in McDougal’s Littell Literature book, which Racine eighth-graders started using more than a year ago.

The school district issued a news release saying a group of teachers chose the book in accordance with state standards.

Because almost half of Racine students are minorities, district officials said it’s important to choose materials that reflect on their populations.

Supt. Jim Shaw says he’s aware of two parents who complained. And he said a thoughtful, reflective investigation was in order.

The district’s complaint procedure about textbooks will also be examined.

Tags: wisconsin news, racine, textbook, complaint, obama