The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) recently rejected seven of 12 proposed science textbooks for eighth graders.
The decision stemmed from concerns that the materials presented a “one-sided” view on climate change, reflecting the board’s Republican majority’s desire for a more balanced approach to the topic.
The rejected textbooks faced criticism for including policy solutions for climate change and being associated with companies following environmental, social, and governance policies.
One of the major points of contention involved an image depicting humans sharing ancestry with apes, which led to the rejection of multiple textbooks. The board also mandated changes, such as removing content and images that portrayed the fossil fuel industry, particularly oil and gas, in a predominantly negative light.
Aaron Kinsey, a board member and CEO of an oilfield services company, argued for a more balanced portrayal, stating concerns that the textbooks were endorsing an agenda against the industry.
In addition to the climate change debate, disagreements surfaced over the presentation of evolution in a biology textbook submitted by McGraw-Hill Education. Evelyn Brooks, a Republican board member, objected to the textbook’s treatment of evolution, arguing that it should be presented as one theory among many regarding life on Earth. This perspective, she maintained, allows students to form their own opinions on different theories of life’s origin.
Democratic board member Marisa Perez-Diaz voiced concerns about the potential influence of ideological and political perspectives on education. Perez-Diaz feared that the rejection of textbooks reflecting climate change science could render the board irrelevant in the eyes of publishers, hindering the availability of appropriate educational materials for students.
The rejected textbooks, intended for eighth-grade students, must align with new standards mandating education about the climate crisis. While school districts in Texas are not bound to use only board-approved textbooks, the approved materials often align with the state’s curriculum standards.
This decision by the SBOE underscores the ongoing tension between the need for accurate scientific information and the influence of political and ideological considerations on the educational content provided to students in Texas.