"Pull the Chispas textbooks and send them back to the publishers!" That's what the Teachers' Union today told the Minister of Education in a press release. The union release says that errors and omissions in the Spanish and social studies books are, "a major insult and affront to the intelligence and dignity of our Belizean people, teachers and students."
But more than just insulting, the union release says that the books contravene chapter 1, sections one and two of the Constitution of Belize. Now, the union says the Spanish and social studies books must be withdrawn and returned to the publisher for corrections. And to this end, the union says it is calling for an urgent meeting with the Minister of Education. Of course, the story wouldn't be complete without an 'I-told-you-so'...and sure enough the union release says all this shows is proper and timely planning, consultation and implementation were required before the new textbooks were introduced. We were unable to reach Education Minister Francis Fonseca for comment today.
On Friday, 7NEWS broke the story of the Chispas books which show Belize on a map as a part of Mexico. And while other Latin American countries are discussed in books one through three, Belize is not mentioned until book four. The social studies book also only has one picture of Belize and it is a historic picture. And while this point has not been widely discussed; 7NEWS has also learned that the English book portrays the Mennonite community of Blue Creek as being in Cayo, not in Orange Walk.
