Hindu American Foundation Plans to File Suit Against California Board of Education Over Textbook Process

March 9, 2006

Source: Hindu American Foundation

http://www.hinduamericanfoundation.org/media_press_release_california_litigation.htm

On March 9, 2006 a Hindu American Foundation Press Release reported, "The Hindu American Foundation (HAF), through its law firm, has been in continual correspondence with the California State Board of Education (SBE) and California Department of Education (CDE) for the past several months demanding a fair and open process in the textbook adoption process. HAF became involved after two Hindu groups, the Hindu Education Foundation (HEF) and Vedic Foundation (VF) attempted to work with the SBE to ensure an accurate and balanced portrayal of Hinduism in sixth grade textbooks. This process was sidetracked according to Hindu parents in California by the involvement of a minority of politically motivated academics and radical anti-Hindu groups... In a final letter to the SBE on March 3, 2006, HAF held that private determinations have been made and implemented to subvert the public process, including the formation of a subcommittee to handle the matter and creation of the now approved February 27th SBE/CDE staff recommendations. Critically, the HAF wrote, the January 6th closed door meeting, from which deliberations formed the basis of the now-approved edits, was held in direct violation of California Open Meeting Act by the presence of several members of the SBE... Preparation for litigation is currently underway. HAF will file suit against the SBE early next week."