Group sues over Florida's new textbook law

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Aug. 11 (UPI) -- A group tracking national security has filed a lawsuit against Florida Gov. Rick Scott over a new law that streamlines the state's textbook selection.

Citizens for National Security, based in Boca Raton, Fla., said Wednesday the new procedure does not provide for careful review of textbooks, The Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel reported. In the past, textbooks were selected by 10-member committees, but the new law provides for two people with a third brought in if a tie breaker is needed.

The group said it is especially concerned about the treatment of world religions.

"Middle and high school history and geography textbooks, there was a lot of unbalance in the discussion of Islam in comparison to Christianity and Judaism," William Saxton, the group's chairman, said.

George Perreault, in charge of textbook acquisition in Orange County, which includes Orlando, said most textbooks come from a handful of major publishers and are very much alike. Local districts make the final decision about textbooks and he said Orange County will continue to set up large committees to do so.

Scott, who became governor in January, has been named as a defendant in at least eight lawsuits so far. The plaintiffs range from the American Civil Liberties Union to the Police Benevolent Association.