Science Textbooks Across the Country Will Teach Real Science Because of A Decision In Texas

Science Textbooks Across the Country Will Teach Real Science Because of A Decision In Texas

By Ryan Koronowski on November 29, 2013 at 7:02 pm

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Because of a small meeting in Texas on Friday, science textbooks across the nation will teach high school students real climate science — and not the version of science advocated by the fossil fuel industry and conservative ideologues.

Last week, the Texas Board of Education voted to approve 14 textbooks used in biology and science classes. “These textbooks were recommended by the top scientists and teachers in Texas,” said Joshua Rosenau of the National Center for Science Education.

Texas is the second-largest textbook market in the country, and because the State Board of Education decides which books to purchase (instead of local school districts), publishers pay serious attention to which books the Board buys. These choices become the basis upon which standard textbooks are written across the country. A publishing executive told Washington Monthly in 2010 that “publishers will do whatever it takes to get on the Texas list.”

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http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/11/29/2986031/texas-textbooks-science-approved/