How science textbooks in Texas address climate change is at the center of a key vote expected Friday after some Republican education officials criticized books for being too negative toward fossil fuels in America’s biggest oil and gas state.
The issue of which textbooks to approve has led to new divisions on the Texas State Board of Education, which over the years has faced other heated curriculum battles surrounding how evolution and U.S. history is taught to the more than 5 million students.
Science standards adopted by the board’s conservative majority in 2021 do not mention creationism as an alternative to evolution. Those standards also describe human factors as contributors to climate change.
But some Republicans on the 15-member board this week waved off current textbook options as too negative toward fossil fuels and for failing to include alternatives to evolution. One of Texas’ regulators of the oil and gas industry, Republican Wayne Christian, has urged the board to “choose books that promote the importance of fossil fuels for energy promotion.”
I’ve driven through parts of north western Texas and the oil rigs everywhere really seem to enforce how much oil brings employment to the areas much like parts of Alberta. It’s barren, dry and hard worked over land that I’m not sure what else they would do with. Outside of the odd places with water holes like Balmorhea it’s just harsh.
Now I do get a serious evil vibe by this push to keep the public confused and focused on these issues versus what’s going on environmentally. If everyone is fighting over this crap that was already decided on sometime back, they can do whatever they want in these other areas.