Sacramento: Hindu-American groups are upbeat about their 'significant victory' in California state, as education officials have accepted their demand for an “accurate and culturally competent portrayal” of Hinduism and India in school textbooks.


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The Department’s State Board of Education (SBE) voted unanimously to reject two 'deeply problematic textbook programs' from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (Grades K-6 and Grades 6-8).


They were apparently adversely reflecting on Hinduism and other diverse communities. 


SBE is said to have received letters from thousands of Hindu-American parents, educators and community members from across California, including immigrant Hindus from Fiji, Caribbean and India.


As per the Hindu Education Foundation USA, the board also voted to approve positive edits submitted by Hindu American community groups to improve the portrayal of Hinduism and India in other textbooks. 


“This is truly historic. After many years of civic engagement, Hindu-Americans have started to make themselves heard,” said Shantharam Nekkar of the foundation.


“While many books have improved, others still remain deeply flawed. We will continue to engage constructively and fight biases and prejudices against Hinduism and India,” he added.


“Despite the false claims of SAHFA, our broad interfaith coalition that represents individuals from all communities including Dalits, never tried to erase any community, caste, or religion’s history, and believe that all groups should be represented fairly in textbooks,” said Samir Kalra, senior director at the foundation.


“In fact, we asked that the contributions of Hindus of all backgrounds, including the spiritual traditions of Dalit Hindus, be acknowledged in textbooks. Most of the changes that SAHFA submitted were hateful and violate California law and the textbook framework,” he added.


Hindu Education Foundation USA is an organisation "dedicated to enriching the understanding of Indian civilisation and Hinduism in America". 


On the other hand, Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (APAPA) said in a statement, "We are grateful for the testimonies from NAACP representatives and the Hispanic Chamber, along with strong letters of support from over 17 public officials. Together, we rallied over 1000 people to rally in this amazing showing of civic engagement and empowerment. Our voices were heard.”


(Content courtesy - hindueducation.org)