Students deserve the truth about climate change, but right-wing bullies on the Texas State Board of Education have pressured textbook companies to include false and misleading information in their science books.
The good news? After 78,000 Daily Kos members signed our petition, one company has removed climate change denial from its textbooks:
Pearson Education—the largest educational publisher in the world—has cut material from a proposed Texas social-studies textbook that cast doubt on the human causes of global warming.
Our friends at the
Texas Freedom Network had asked us to get involved before the Texas State Board of Education meets on November 18 to approve the submissions of two large textbook companies for “approved” content in public schools.
Because of the size and influence of the Texas textbook market, books approved in Texas end up in classrooms around the country—which makes this a national issue.
But we have only won half the battle. McGraw-Hill also made “changes” that are problematic.
The earlier version of the textbook cast doubt on the scientific consensus that human activity is the primary driver of climate change. The revised version still casts doubt on the science.
Dan Quinn, a spokesman for the Texas Freedom Network, said the corrections "didn't go nearly far enough."
The McGraw-Hill textbook also asks students to analyze "two different points of view" on global warming.
That’s why we are redoubling our efforts, and asking the Daily Kos community to sign our
new petition pressuring McGraw-Hill. Texas Freedom Network will submit these petitions before the Board of Education meets on Tuesday, November 18.
UPDATE (11/17): VICTORY!! On the eve of the Texas Board of Education meeting, McGraw-Hill has likewise removed climate change denial. More info here.