Science textbooks submitted for adoption in Texas are generally adequate when it comes to climate change and evolution, according to a new report, "Grading the Textbooks," released by NCSE and the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund on August 22, 2023.
The NCSE/TFNEF report was released, as the San Antonio Express-News (August 22, 2023) explained, "as the State Board of Education prepares to approve science textbooks after updating the science curriculum standards in 2021. The standards for each subject are generally updated every 10 years. In the past, the teaching of evolution and climate change has divided the board, while more recent debate has centered on man-made climate change." Texas is one of the largest textbook markets in the country.
"The textbooks comply with the basic requirements set by the state regarding the treatment of climate change and evolution, though there's certainly room for improvement in their treatment of these topics," commented NCSE's deputy director Glenn Branch. "The takeaway message is that if members of the state board nevertheless insist on objecting to the textbooks' treatments of climate change and evolution, it will reflect only their own misinformed and misguided views of these scientifically uncontroversial topics."
The state board is set to hold a public hearing on the proposed textbooks on August 29, 2023, with a vote following in November 2023.
