Latest news with #SavvasLearning
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. DeSantis says Florida suing textbook giants over high prices, 'woke' content
Gov. Ron DeSantis says Florida is suing two major textbook publishers he described as pushing 'egregious' content in its instructional materials. Attorney General James Uthmeier filed suit Aug. 19 against McGraw Hill and Savvas Learning Co., specifically accusing the two publishers of overcharging Florida school districts for its textbooks. But DeSantis also noted concerns he's had with the textbook materials as well, saying its "egregious" content is not "aligned with our standards." At a news conference in St. Cloud, DeSantis said the lawsuit includes civil penalties that could amount between $37.5 million and $60.5 million between the two publishers. He said if the state is successful, funds from the lawsuit would go back to the school districts. "To see some of the stuff they are trying to pull, it's not going to fly here," DeSantis said. A request for comment is pending with the Florida Department of Education on how much money school districts and the department are paying in contracts with the two publishers. The 26-page complaint filed in Leon County alleges that the publishers are violating Florida law, which requires them to give each Florida school district the lowest price offered to any other district in the country. Education Commissioner Anastasios "Stasi" Kamoutsas, who also attended, said he's "committed to holding publishers accountable, whether it's in content or cost." He said the publishers have included critical race theory, intersectionality and White privilege in math, science and social studies textbooks, saying it "has no business there." (Intersectionality is often defined as the study of how social and political identities combine to create unique experiences of discrimination and privilege.) "If publishers choose to add that content in their textbooks, they will not be approved, and they will be not be sold in Florida schools," Kamoutsas said. Tyler Reed, a spokesperson for McGraw Hill, said in a statement that the company believes the attorney general's claims lack "factual and legal merit on multiple grounds." "We plan to defend our position vigorously," Reed said. "We continually invest in our content in order to fully align with Florida standards, support Florida schools and education Florida students with maximum efficacy." In its statement, Savvas Learning Co. said its policies and procedures comply with applicable laws regarding the sale of its instructional materials for schools. And it denies charging Florida school districts more than the state contract price. "We will not publicly comment any further on this litigation and will defend our company vigorously against the allegations made by the Florida attorney general," the statement read. Only one publisher: As DeSantis administration rejects textbooks, only one publisher allowed for K-5 math classes in Florida This isn't DeSantis' first issue with these publishers. In 2022, the governor only approved one publisher for K-5 mathematics, Accelerate Learning. He chose them over McGraw Hill and Savvas, formerly known as Pearson K12 Learning. At the time, the state's Department of Education described concerns with textbooks, including "prohibited topics" like critical race theory. That year, DeSantis signed the "Stop WOKE Act," which restricted how race is discussed in schools, college and workplaces. This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Stephany Matat is based in Tallahassee, Fla. She can be reached at SMatat@ On X: @stephanymatat. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: DeSantis lawsuit hits publishers for overcharges, 'egregious' content Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida sues textbook publishers over alleged overcharging
Florida has lodged a significant lawsuit against textbook publishers McGraw Hill and Savvas Learning, accusing them of overcharging school districts—including Osceola and Miami-Dade—more than 5,900 times. The lawsuit announced today in St. Cloud claims the overcharging by these companies could lead to civil penalties of up to $60.5 million. Florida taxpayers and students have been affected by these practices, prompting legal action. Attorney General Uthmeier's office received a whistleblower complaint that uncovered overcharging incidents, which led to the lawsuit. 'Publishers that exploit Florida school districts must be held accountable,' said the official statement praising Attorney General Uthmeier for taking action. The lawsuit targets textbook publishers McGraw Hill and Savvas Learning for allegedly fraudulent overcharging that impacted Florida's school districts like Osceola and Miami-Dade, uncovered by a whistleblower. The lawsuit's civil penalties could reach $60.5 million, showing the severity of the claims against the publishers. The Govorner states that Florida aims to shield its taxpayers and students from alleged financial harm. The result of the legal case is still uncertain. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Solve the daily Crossword
