I’ve stated before that I believe our school system is clearly lacking when it comes to science education. Ironically enough, I didn’t know how right I was – or how much worse it could get.
Ladies and gentlemen, I believe we’ve hit an all time new low in the dumbing down of America.
The popular and often used textbook publisher Macmillan/McGraw-Hill recently reported that it will be changing the section in one of its popular 8th grade science textbooks. In a statement to Yahoo Parenting (warning: the linked article is full of as much anti-science garbage as Food Babe‘s entire website), the publisher wants to reflect more diversity of opinions when it comes to GMOs. It stated:
After re-evaluating the program’s presentation of genetically engineered crops, we acknowledge that it did not effectively present a robust discussion about the diversity of research on the topic.
The textbook will now be changed to show that there are differing viewpoints on the safety of genetically modified crops. But that isn’t accurate, because there is no scientific diversity of research. In fact, there has never been a single credible scientific study showing that GMOs hurt humans or the environment. The debate, at least among scientists, is over.
But, unfortunately, Macmillan/McGraw-Hill isn’t the only textbook publisher that is bowing to anti-science pressure. Evan-Moor Educational Publishers removed an example essay that was written in favor of biotechnology. The CEO, William E. Evans, then posted a retraction and apology on Facebook explaining that he agreed with the parents and teachers that had allegedly contacted him about it. (I was going to suggest that if you would like to go tell the CEO of Evan-Moor how you feel about the decision, see his Facebook post. However, that seems to be a waste of time because the company is deleting or hiding all negative comments. But don’t worry, you can send them a tweet, because they can’t delete those!)
Most disappointingly, the CEO finished his apology by saying this:
On a personal note, my wife and I have contributed to a number of organizations that are campaigning for labeling of GMO foods: Organic Consumers Association, Food Democracy Now and Yes on 522 in Washington State. We do not allow GMO foods in our home, and we would certainly never do anything to promote them in our publications.
Really? You run a company that publishes educational materials and you’ve fallen prey to the anti-science fear-mongers? I’m not sure you’re qualified to make any educational decisions for our kids, let alone direct textbook curriculum!
It’s also disgusting that he thinks donating to the labeling campaigns can somehow bring him back into the parents’ good graces, especially when the organizations he’s donated to are extremely anti-science! The Organic Consumers Association and Food Democracy Now are constant peddlers of bad science and fear.
How did this happen and who honestly thinks this attitude is a good idea for education? The companies publishing our educational materials should not be anti-science. They should not be caving into fear. They should not be ignoring sound science to appease an angry mob. And they certainly should not be donating money to campaigns meant to scare consumers!
These companies produce our children’s science textbooks and they don’t even support science!
Here’s the bottom line: If you are a parent then you need to care about the education that your child is receiving. That means you need to open those textbooks, look at that homework, and talk to your kids about what they’re learning at school. And if you see that your kid is being spoon fed a normal and heavy does of anti-GMO rhetoric, you need to step up and say something.
I remember a much younger, very shy high school girl calling out her own Biology teacher her Sophomore year because that particular teacher wanted to tell her classmates how terrible and destructive her parents’ livelihood was on the environment (maybe it isn’t altogether surprising that I turned out to be so passionate about ag-vocating…).
If that girl can do it, so can you.
We cannot allow our children to be brainwashed into rejecting the very modern (and safe) technologies that will allow us to continue feeding a quickly growing population.
Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
