A citizen-led commission to audit and recommend replacements for biased, inaccurate, or outdated textbooks and curricular materials.
Mamdanis Truth in Textbook Commission
Textbooks and standard curricular materials often perpetuate myths, downplay oppression, and exclude marginalized perspectives. Zhoran Mamdani would establish an independent, citizen-led Truth in Textbook Commission, composed of historians, educators, students, and community representatives. This commission would have the authority to audit all textbooks and core instructional materials used in NYC public schools for historical accuracy, bias, omissions, and representation. It would publish its findings publicly and have the power to recommend the removal and replacement of materials that fail its standards.
The commission would also proactively curate and recommend new, high-quality open educational resources (OER) that tell a more complete and truthful story. This process ensures that the materials in students hands reflect the decolonized, multicultural curriculum Mamdani advocates for. We cannot teach a truthful history with dishonest textbooks, Mamdani states. This commission is a quality control mechanism for our childrens minds. It takes the power to define reality out of the hands of a few publishing corporations and gives it to the people of New York, ensuring our children learn from materials that are accurate, inclusive, and just.
