Rasmussen Reports reveals a full 49 percent of the parents say most U.S. history textbooks are not accurate while 28 percent say most school history textbooks portray it accurately. Another 23 percent said they are not sure.

The survey comes on the heels of reports that the Texas Board of Education began a three-day meeting today and is taking public comment on proposed changes to textbook and curriculum standards. The 15-member board plans to finish debate on its social studies, history and economics curricula before it takes a preliminary vote.

As WND reported, Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel, warned Americans to speak up before only eight people, with a majority vote, have a chance to literally rewrite American history.

Staver said the state board will vote on whether to revise U.S. textbooks to omit references to Daniel Boone, Gen. George Patton, Nathan Hale and Columbus Day. He said the Texas board will also vote on a proposal to substitute the term "American" with "global citizen."

Staver appeared on the "Huckabee Show" in February to explain why the board's vote matters to the rest of America. He said Texas and California are the two largest textbook purchasers in the nation.

"Whatever textbooks they select affect the rest of the country because publishers publish those kinds of books, and the rest of the country follows," he said.

According to Liberty Counsel, some of the suggestions that have come forward at various times include:

• Removing references to Daniel Boone, General George Patton, Nathan Hale and Columbus Day.

• Including the cultural impact of hip-hop music, ACLU lawyer Clarence Darrow and the Hindu holiday of Diwali.

• Replacing the term "American" with "global citizen" – stating that students need to be shaped "for responsible citizenship in a global society" without any mention of citizenship in American society.

• Replacing expansionism and free enterprise with imperialism and capitalism.

Staver said one proposal suggests the name of Nathan Hale, a patriot of the American Revolutionary War, be removed and replaced with the name of a man who invented fireman helmets.

The Texas Board of Education issued a press release today stating, "Each state has its own textbook selection process. Publishers may offer other states the Texas edition of a book but they are not required to select it."

The board is expected to make its final decision in May.

WND also reported in September last year when a textbook publisher known for painting a sunny, non-violent picture of Islamic jihad in its history books rewrote part of the Declaration of Independence.

According to the Rasmussen Reports survey, when asked who should have the final say on what textbooks are used in the classroom, 34 percent of Americans say teachers, but 24 percent say parents should have the final say.

Approximately 15 percent prefer giving the final say on textbooks to local government, and nine percent would give that responsibility to federal and state governments.

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March 10, 2010