Textbook Bill Heads to Rick Scott for Approval

A bill to give parents a chance to object to textbooks being used in schools made its way through the Florida Senate on Thursday, where it passed by a vote of 31-4.

SB 864, sponsored by Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, would require school districts to hold public hearings if parents object to the textbooks being used by students.

The bill comes after considerable public criticism over the Common Core State Standards, which Florida adopted in 2010. It wasn't until last summer, however, that the controversy began heating up. Many opponents to the standards have expressed disapproval over the textbooks commonly associated with Common Core, alleging the books are inferior and contain questionable subject matter.

The bill now heads to Gov. Rick Scott's desk for signing.