Update: "The Wonk Room" from Think Progress examines the text in question and exposes the inaccuracies. They also provide a link to a "Friends of the Earth" petition directed at the publisher to correct the "misleading" information. From The Wonk Room:
"Houghton Mifflin, the publisher of the climate-denier textbook American Government, responded to criticism on Andy Revkin’s Dot Earth blog with the following claims:
The authors do not provide a history of global warming; rather they use the issue to illustrate “entrepreneurial politics.” As part of this illustration, the book cites a wide range of sources, from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to Nobel Prize Winner Al Gore.
Late last year, we released the 11th edition of “American Government,” which included some revisions to the “entrepreneurial politics” section. These revisions reflect current developments in environmental policy research.
Not a single sentence in their response accurately represents the textbook’s content."
*****
During my rather lengthy debate with "Henry" I made this comment on an issue related to Green Bay Public Schools:
"How about this question: "Why is America the best country in the world? This one is PURE PROPAGANDA, and until a student has acquired enough accurate information to make that determination, questions of this type are highly suspect. At best this is an hypothetical question, however it leads the questioned on by making the determination that in fact, "America is the BEST county in the world".
An intelligent child without the facts will tell you that they don't know the answer to the question, simply because they realize that they haven't the qualified information to make that determination. While MANY of the other children will have a "ready" answer, and "correctly" answer the question.
Texts ARE NOT necessarily a measure of competency. Textbooks can and do twist facts or ignore them completely and since textbooks are most often manufactured to the acceptance of the two largest school systems in America (it's a money thing), Texas and California, material selection and question format differs greatly. I fear we might be using Texas texts. Scary. "
New information has come to light. Truthout.org has a recent article covering an Associated Press story of high school senior Matthew LaClair. LaClair "has raised questions about political bias in a popular textbook on US government, and legal scholars and top scientists say the teen's criticism is well-founded."
"They say "American Government" by conservatives James Wilson and John Dilulio presents a skewed view of topics from global warming to separation of church and state. The publisher now says it will review the book, as will the College Board, which oversees college-level Advanced Placement courses used in high schools."
"Matthew LaClair of Kearny, N.J., recently brought his concerns to the attention of the Center for Inquiry, an Amherst, N.Y., think tank that promotes science and has issued a scathing report about the textbook."
"I just realized from my own knowledge that some of this stuff in the book is just plain wrong," said LaClair, who is using the book as part of an AP government class at Kearny High School."
The publisher of the texts in question is the Houghton Mifflin Company. The reading and math books used in Green Bay Area Public Elementary Schools…? The Houghton Mifflin Company. It wouldn't be a stretch to say there are others texts from this company in use in the Green Bay District and across the state. Propaganda can begin at a much lower level than high school. All school texts should be re-reviewed for bias, half-truths, misleading questions, and outright lies. This is the next generation. It matters.
The article also noted:
"Trying to Lead the Reader"
LaClair added that he perceived a bias in the book too.
"All the statements for the most part were trying to lead the reader in one direction and not giving a fair account of everything," he said.
It's not the first time LaClair has raised alarm bells over teaching at his school. A few years ago, he tape recorded a teacher making religious remarks to his students. Many people at the school were upset with LaClair for raising the issue.
"I'm not looking to cause a huge controversy, but I want the students to be taught correct information," LaClair said.
His mother, Debra, says she thinks her son is giving his peers another kind of civics lesson.
"When he sees something that is incorrect, he wants to fix it," she said. "That's him. That's what he does."
Good for Matthew LaClair. Now that's an astute student!