It’s been mighty quiet out there, folks. A month ago I told you that the Florida Department of Education launched their instructional materials review for science and they were accepting applications for reviewers. The response from all of you was awesome and I’m confident several of you applied. So, now I’m following up. Have any of you been accepted? Did you get a “no thanks” response? The DoE hasn’t issued any announcements or updated their website in the past month. Of course, these processes take time, but we can’t let the silence lull us into forgetting. Please report in if you have any information.
And let’s also not forget that Marion County isn’t bothering with the state review process, instead choosing to do it all themselves. This notice was recently published in the Ocala Star Banner:
Textbook committee
Marion County Public Schools is looking for five people for a textbook adoption committee that will review and approve instructional material for 17 courses for the next school year. Committee members must commit to at least 10 hours of work time, per course, mandatory overview and final vote meetings, and must attend one of two training sessions Oct. 4. Applications are on marionschools.net and can be submitted by emailing crystal.cizmar@marion.k12.fl.us by 11:59 p.m. Saturday. Call 867-2121.
And let’s not forget why paying attention to textbook reviews is important. The Florida Citizens’ Alliance posted last weekend a couple of their reviews of history textbooks in Brevard County. Of interest to us science advocates is their disdain for mentions of man-made climate change. For example:
This statement leads the child to believe that man made global warming is a scientific fact, when it is not. Man made global warming is a hoax, based only on computer models and false data, and is an injustice to the child, by not teaching scientific fact. It is pure and unadulterated false propaganda.
[…]
The most disturbing aspect is that children are propagandized and being led to believe a falsehood; that man is more powerful than the forces of nature, and therefore can control earth’s climate. Completely ignored is the fact that global warming and cooling are cyclical, occurring for million of years, and man has no effect on that cycle. Ignored is the fact that man made global warming is based on computer models and not the scientific method.
Stay alert, everyone!
