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.”
They want to make the people think that them pump jacks out there are good for ‘em. Get rid of the stigma behind oil pollution.
Just recently an earthquake was felt all the way in west Texas after it originated near Odessa/Midland. Someone with critical thinking skills will say “oh that’s bad, the fracking is causing earthquakes we should investigate further” vs the mind numbness that they want which consists of “let’s keep goin till something bad happens yeah?”
I wonder what their ground water is like out there. I hear the air has a certain chemical smell to it too.