On April 24, 2006, The
Sacramento Bee published an article titled “Dictating
sanitized history in the classroom a very slippery slope”,
by Dan Walters which, while discussing the issue of sixth-grade
history textbooks in California, alleged that HAF aims to
alter sixth-grade textbooks "to reflect HAF's version
of the history of Hindus, regardless of what that history
may truly be." HAF’s letter to the editor of
The Bee was published
in the May 4th issue of the newspaper.
Parity for religion
education
Re "Dictating sanitized
history in the classroom a very slippery slope," April
24: Dan Walters misconstrues the Hindu American Foundation's
(HAF) position. Walters states that HAF aims to alter sixth-grade
textbooks "to reflect HAF's version of the history
of Hindus, regardless of what that history may truly be."
That's not true.
Women and people of "low"
castes did indeed suffer discrimination in India historically.
However, the relevant fact is that Hindus are merely seeking
parity with the depiction of other faiths in sixth-grade
textbooks, where social problems of other religions are
not given prominence. Moreover, the textbooks omit redeeming
features of Hinduism such as the authorship by "low"
castes of some of the holiest Hindu scriptures, the concept
of shakti (feminine divinity) and the historical and contemporary
existence of female and "low" caste saints. As
for Aryan migration, HAF merely desires that the textbooks
mention that many scholars have offered alternative explanations
for the origins of Indian civilization.
Our lawsuit against the
state Board of Education specifically cites the violation
of the open meeting law, especially the private communications
and closed meetings held with advocates opposing Hindus,
while denying Hindu groups notice or access.
Swaminathan
Venkataraman
Executive Council Member
Hindu American Foundation
