The National Center for Science Education has taken note of the instructional materials bills filed in the Florida legislature. Their analysis is thorough, taking note of the many problems the bills have. For instance:
“A further provision of the bills is also of concern. Currently, instructional materials used in Florida’s schools must be consistent with the state science standards. HB 899 and SB 1018 would allow that instructional materials may be alternatively be consistent with ‘standards that are equivalent to or better than the applicable state standards.’ No criteria for assessing the relative quality of standards are provided.”
And they found something I had missed: complaints that “an American history textbook that it is ‘permeate[d]’ by ‘discussion of climate change.'”
How can I help? I live in Miami, Fl. I’ve been teaching science for 25 years. My position at the Dawkins Foundation is to promote high quality evolution education at the middle school level. I’m also very involved with climate science education. Jonathon Smith and I have exchanged e-mails and he has helped me promote the efforts of the Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science in the past. I’d like to reciprocate here if possible.
Bertha
Berta,
If you’ve already coordinated with Jonathan in the past, then please do so again. He’s the Florida Citizens for Science president and I’m sure he’d love to work with you on this new issue. If you have any problems getting in touch with him, let me know.
Bertha, I had major computer problems just before Christmas and lost your e-mail address. Would you please contact me when you can. We would like your support on this.