Climate change references removed from Florida textbooks, authors say
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State officials told publishers to remove some references to climate change from textbooks used in Florida's public schools, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
Why it matters: The demands are the latest example of the DeSantis administration aligning Florida's public education system with conservative views, critics say.
- The state's Department of Education previously rejected math and social studies textbooks over what it viewed as the inclusion of "woke" concepts.
The big picture: Gov. Ron DeSantis this year signed a law removing the phrase "climate change" as a priority in state energy policy, while reversing long-standing green energy policies and legislation.
- The state is expecting a hotter-than-average summer, in large part because of human-caused climate change.
Between the lines: The new law didn't address the state's science standards for public education, but it removed the goal of recognizing "the potential of global climate change," per the Sentinel.
State of play: The state asked for citations to be added to a high school biology book to support statements that "human activity" caused climate change, one textbook author told the Sentinel.
- A 90-page section on climate change was removed from one high school chemistry book. The phrase was removed from another middle school book.
- No high school environmental science textbooks were included in the state's list of acceptable books, according to the Sentinel.
What they're saying: Officials work with publishers to ensure books "[do] not include any form of ideology or indoctrination," state officials told the Sentinel.
The other side: Educators told the Sentinel the state's "ill-considered actions" will "rob students of a deeper understanding of global warming" and "cheat Florida students."