Updated

A leading conservative on Texas' Board of Education has proposed walking out of an upcoming discussion on a controversial Mexican-American studies textbook to "deny the Hispanics a record vote."

The board is to vote in November on a high-school level Mexican-American studies book. Democrats have joined scholars and advocacy groups in decrying the book as inaccurate and offensive, while Republicans say a specialized book is unnecessary.

A watchdog group released an email Wednesday obtained through an open records request in which Republican board member David Bradley suggests skipping the vote. If enough board members boycott, the book would be defeated without a recorded vote.

Bradley says he was expressing frustration with the "political campaign" opposing the book and seeking to spare the board a "CNN moment" of unwanted media attention.