Columbus Lessons

October 12, 2009

IN 1492, COLUMBUS SAILED THE OCEAN BLUE, BUT A UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA STUDY SHOWS ELEMENTARY-AGE KIDS ARE LEARNING ABOUT CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS FROM BOOKS THAT MAY NOT BE UP-TO-DATE. RESEARCHERS COMPILED RESULTS FROM NEARLY 200 DIFFERENT CHILDREN’S BOOKS, AFTER SURVEYING TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS NATIONWIDE.

Dr. Donna Sabis-Burns, UF children literature researcher: “I found it was very disappointing that today’s teachers are using books that are old, 10 years and older!”

RESEARCHERS FOUND ONLY TWO-PERCENT WERE PUBLISHED AFTER 1992, THE SAME YEAR INFORMATION SURFACED DETAILING THE TREATMENT OF NATIVE AMERICANS DURING THE EXPEDITION. UF RESEARCHERS BELIEVE COLUMBUS’ STORY ISN’T CHANGING IN THE CLASSROOM BECAUSE OF THE CONTROVERSY.

Dr. Donna Sabis-Burns, UF children literature researcher : “I have very different stories about Columbus, one from a very native side, one from a very strong native perspective, and one from a very European perspective, and some that are in the middle.”

EXPERTS SAY THE STUDY SHOULD ENCOURAGE TEACHERS TO UPDATE THEIR BOOKS, TO SHOW A MORE COMPLETE PICTURE ABOUT COLUMBUS.