Publishers Remove Climate Change Denialism From Textbooks

After outcry from science and education advocacy groups, two of the state’s largest textbooks publishers have rid their books of climate change denialism.

Science organizations charged Pearson and McGraw-Hill with including inaccurate and misleading information about climate change in new social studies books slated for use in Texas schools, as Newsdesk previously reported. Following mounting pressure from state and national science organizations and a petition that drew more than 116,000 signatures, the publishers have now reversed course, education watchdog Texas Freedom Network announced today.

"There is a dangerous attack on climate science in our country, from Congress to the classroom,” said Lisa Hoyos, director of Climate Parents. "We are thrilled that Pearson, McGraw-Hill, and their other publishers chose to stand with students, and to remove misinformation about the causes of climate change from their texts. These publishers need to resist any pushback from climate deniers on the the Texas State Board of Education and to commit to tell nothing but the truth in the materials they produce for our kids.”

While the climate changes errors have been fixed, the books still face contention. In September, a coalition of scholars discovered numerous, politically driven factual flaws in the text. The State Board of Education is expected to hear public testimony on the social studies textbooks Tuesday, Nov. 18, beginning at 1 p.m.