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Climate change in Texas science textbooks causes divisions on state's education board (apnews.com)

submitted 10 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

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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.”

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[-] Zombiepirate@lemmy.world 54 points 10 months ago

too negative toward fossil fuels and for failing to include alternatives to evolution.

I was trying to think of a metaphor to really drive home how stupid this is, but the GOP has made argument ad absurdum curl up into a ball and beg for mercy.

Just legendary idiocy from people who decide what our kids learn.

[-] Ranvier@sopuli.xyz 13 points 10 months ago

I'll do my best for you, did they also fail to mention the competition to the theory of gravity, that everything stays on the ground because the holy spirit holds it there? Or the the alternative to germ theory, that people get sick because God wanted to punish them? Or what about the alternative to the theory of thermodynamics, that things get warm because an angel holds it real tight?

[-] Burn_The_Right@lemmy.world 8 points 10 months ago

People think you are kidding, but I was raised in the southern baptist church. This is damn near exactly what they brain-washed into us.

[-] Ranvier@sopuli.xyz 6 points 10 months ago

Oh totally. Pastors saying illness is God's punishment for whatever group they hate makes the news all the time. Or that hurricanes happen cause gays or something. God apparently doesn't mind a lot of collateral damage. Looking at the old testament though.... Yeah that checks out.

[-] WashedOver@lemmy.ca 7 points 10 months ago

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.

[-] flooppoolf@lemmy.world 12 points 10 months ago

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.

[-] WashedOver@lemmy.ca 7 points 10 months ago

I didn't stay long as I was making my way down from NM to Houston to visit a friend. I regretted going that way to make stops in Roswell and Balmorhea as it's pretty barren and dried out in those parts.

It's a different dried out from Arizona to me. The parts I did drive around in reminded me of the logging camps of my youth in remote areas. Industrial and dirty. The old school practices of dumping waste as it is the middle of nowhere hasn't aged well but when it comes to a job many are willing to overlook much.

Alberta is much like this with 1000's of abandoned oil wells and tailing ponds that the taxpayers are on the hook for long after the outfits have taken the profits and run.

Who cares about earthquakes and pollution. Screw that give me my jobs first. So what if we can't live without water longer than 2 or 3 days.

It's a shame Albert's recent government is doubling down on oil after years of neglecting the power grid and then canceling any more investment into existing alternative power like wind turbines and solar.

After my time living on just solar during my travels in AZ I can see these areas with so much sun having a easier time with solar than the wet climate I come from and it's a shame they only block further investments into it to protect oil. They are the perfect places for solar and wind.

China has become a leader in the production of solar and they need to do something as one of the world's largest polluters. These things can take decades and further stalling reinforces in my mind it's still short term profits above all else. Good luck everyone...

[-] girlfreddy@lemmy.world 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Here's a map of America that shows how many contaminants are in the water and the percentage they are over EPA minimum reporting standards.

It's not good.

edit -- and if you want to see what might be a reason behind some southern states' issues, check out Gadsden, AL with 7 pollutants at 4320% over limits; Bremen, GA with 3 pollutants at 3266% over limits; or Pensacola, FL with 12 pollutants at 4350% over limits.

[-] helenslunch@feddit.nl 46 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Republican Wayne Christian, has urged the board to “choose books that promote the importance of fossil fuels for energy promotion.”

Republicans forgetting that schools are supposed to be for education, not propaganda or advertisements.

[-] RavenFellBlade@sh.itjust.works 29 points 10 months ago

Oh, it's worse than that: these are the same people screaming and yelling about "indoctrination" for acknowledging that not everyone is heterosexual or cis-gendered.

[-] 108@kbin.social 15 points 10 months ago

All while pushing religious agenda on to them

[-] HurlingDurling@lemm.ee 4 points 10 months ago

It's not a new thing unfortunately

[-] interceder270@lemmy.world 27 points 10 months ago

It's sad. There are a lot of capable people in Texas who would be smarter if they had better education.

The education system in Texas was a real wake up call for me after spending most of my time on the East Coast. It's a world of difference.

[-] flooppoolf@lemmy.world 9 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

As a Texan I’m so thankful that my science books in elementary school talked about the ozone hole and the ones in middle school talked about the big bad man made CFC chemicals that caused it.

Heck, the last cool thing I remember was Al Gore being on the near back of the book talking about climate change hahahahaha.

Growing up it always seemed so weird to see the news talking about the south as an ass-on-backwards place where people were uneducated when we were taught the theory of evolution, chemistry, and forced to read books that are banned in some places today.

Idk, I honestly believe these guys in charge are all the dudes that got called dumb nepo babies by close friends, like they need to prove that their version of things (the version where god cares about what you do with your dick and hates if you like wearing skirts) must also be true since it has landed them so much success.

Selling your spine was what made you so successful. You meritless, stupid bastards.

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 20 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

and for failing to include alternatives to evolution.

For fuck's sake, we already had argument 98 FUCKING YEARS AGO! The South won't rise again either you chumps.

[-] MushuChupacabra@lemmy.world 14 points 10 months ago

The controversy is going to end decisively when Texas becomes uninhabitable.

[-] NarrativeBear@lemmy.world 7 points 10 months ago

But I will be blamed on wind and solar killing whales, unfortunately by half the state.

[-] MushuChupacabra@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

Probably. Reality will roll over them anyway.

[-] HurlingDurling@lemm.ee 2 points 10 months ago

And Jewish space lazers

[-] DarkGamer@kbin.social 5 points 10 months ago

You see kids, destroying the world for future generations was very profitable, and a good thing that God approved of

[-] tsonfeir@lemm.ee 4 points 10 months ago

Fucking Republicans

[-] Uglyhead@lemmy.world 4 points 10 months ago

Oh remember Texas, where the Whites fought against the Dirty Mexican Slavers to enshrine Freedom For All, where the Christians fought against the dinosaurs to make the earth safe, where the big Oil Companies fought against the dirty clean energy companies to make the air breathable again, and reverse global warming.

this post was submitted on 17 Nov 2023

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