Texas Advances Science Education with New Textbooks Amidst Climate Change Controversy
In a move that underscores the ongoing debate on climate change education, Texas' education board recently approved new science textbooks. However, the decision, made on Friday, was not without its share of contention, particularly concerning how fossil fuels are portrayed in the U.S.'s largest oil and gas state.
The approval vote highlighted the rift within the Texas State Board of Education regarding the approach to teaching climate change. Over the years, the board has encountered heated discussions on curriculum, addressing issues such as evolution and U.S. history for its massive student population exceeding 5 million.
"The publishers won't compromise scientific accuracy, but they also want to cater to the Texan market," remarked Glenn Branch, deputy director of the National Center on Science Education.
Despite the approval, the more than 1,000 school districts in Texas are not obligated to use the endorsed textbooks. Still, the board's endorsements carry considerable weight, raising concerns about the potential impact of Texas' decisions on the education of students in other states.
The recent vote aimed to determine which textbooks met the standards set in 2021, acknowledging human factors as contributors to climate change and eschewing creationism as an alternative to evolution. Several books aligned with these criteria and reflected the scientific community's consensus.
However, not all made the cut. Green Ninja, a publisher, faced criticism from some GOP board members for a climate change lesson that prompted students to write stories warning about climate change. The board ultimately rejected their textbooks.
Democratic board member Staci Childs noted the publisher's willingness to create a more balanced discussion around oil and gas but emphasized the importance of quality educational materials.
Four publishers had their books approved with conditions, particularly regarding content on energy, fossil fuels, and evolution. One biology textbook gained approval with the condition of removing images depicting humans sharing ancestry with monkeys.
Republicans on the 15-member board criticized existing textbook options as overly negative towards fossil fuels and lacking alternatives to evolution. Wayne Christian, a regulator of the oil and gas industry in Texas, urged the inclusion of books promoting the importance of fossil fuels for energy.
In response, the National Science Teaching Association, comprising 35,000 science educators across the U.S., urged the board not to let objections to evolution and climate change impede science textbook adoption in Texas.
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