After criticizing information some publishers included on and evolution, the Republican-dominated Texas State Board of Education on Friday approved new science textbooks for use in public schools.
School districts don't need to use the materials the state board approved, but many will since those books are guaranteed to comply with state curriculum standards known as the .
The board considered textbook from nearly two dozen publishers when it met last week. Some members asked for changes to how certain materials covered the oil and gas industry, as well as human evolution. Publishers then had the opportunity to make those edits to try to gain the board's approval on Friday.
McGraw Hill was one of the publishers that updated a textbook after the board reviewed it. Republican board members and the conservative group had taken issue with information on evolution included in its high school biology textbook.
鈥淭exas Values has always stood for the position that the State Board of Education, when it comes to science materials, [should] make sure that there鈥檚 a balanced approach to teaching the origin of life,鈥� Mary Elizabeth Castle, the organization's director of government relations, said. 鈥淚f evolution is going to be taught, it should be taught as a theory and there should also be room to talk about creation.鈥�
Creationism is the religious belief that God created life out of nothing. In 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court a Louisiana law requiring public schools to teach biblical creation alongside evolution. (Some legal experts think the high court could the issue, though.)
鈥淎s an organization we always want to stand for the religious liberty rights of students,鈥� Castle said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want students to feel like evolution is presented as fact and their whole-hearted belief that their creation comes from God is shut out of the classroom.鈥�
Castle said Texas Values was especially about a graphic illustrating the evolution of primates, which McGraw Hill ultimately removed to get state board approval.
A spokesperson for McGraw Hill told KUT that its materials are fully aligned with the state curriculum standards.
鈥淣one of the requested edits from Texas state officials impact our standards alignment or compromise the academic integrity of the program or students鈥� understanding of the relevant learning objectives,鈥� Senior Director of Communications Tyler Reed wrote in an email. 鈥淓volution continues to be covered appropriately in our titles.鈥�
While the State Board of Education approved McGraw Hill's revised biology textbook, members rejected other books over how they addressed climate change and what some Republican members said were negative depictions of the oil and gas industry.
Wayne Christian, the head of the Texas Railroad Commission 鈥� which regulates the industry 鈥� had the state board to choose books that were supportive of fossil fuels. Christian said he was happy with what the board ended up approving.
鈥淭he Texas State Board of Education did the right thing by rejecting radical environmentalist propaganda on 鈥榥et zero鈥� and ensuring our students learn the benefits of fossil fuels,鈥� he said in a statement.
The board did approve textbooks that include information about climate change. State curriculum the board adopted in 2021 require that students in eighth grade 鈥渦nderstand that climate can be impacted by natural events and human activities."
The , a progressive group, has been an outspoken advocate for materials that adequately address climate change. Director of Communications Imelda Mejia said the group saw the board鈥檚 vote as progress.
鈥淏ut it鈥檚 pretty clear to us that a number of these textbooks were rejected because the board pressured publishers to make changes based on their own political objections around how they talked about oil and gas companies,鈥� she said.
Mejia said there is nothing radical about teaching students the truth about climate change and what contributes to it.
鈥淐limate change is real and a very serious problem,鈥� she said. 鈥淐ensoring this information is irresponsible of the board. Students deserve to learn the information they need to understand a crisis they are inheriting and will have to deal with for the rest of their lives.鈥�
Although the state board ultimately voted 12-0 to approve the new textbooks, Democratic members expressed frustration and disappointment that some materials were rejected.
鈥淚f we continue to behave this way as a board, my fear is that we will render ourselves irrelevant moving forward when it comes to what publishers want to work with us and will help us get proper materials in front of our young people," member Marisa P茅rez-D铆az said, "and for me that鈥檚 heartbreaking."
P茅rez-D铆az said it is the board鈥檚 responsibility to give Texas students access to as many resources as possible.
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