posted by Joe Polk at 9:52 PM /
At the recent Mt. Lebanon school board meeting, at least two directors were also curious about an item near the bottom of the agenda--a student textbook on the 2009-2010 recommended book list.
"Dire predictions: Understanding Global Warming--The Illustrated Guide to the Findings of the IPCC" by Michael E. Mann and Lee R. Kump was recommended for a high school environmental geoscience class. The IPCC is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
By law, the school board is required to approve all student texts. There are seven books on the list. Board members Mark Hart and James Fraasch, however, questioned this book selection. "Why is this on the list?" Hart asked. "And is there another book used in the class which shows the other side-that science is not in complete agreement about global warming?" "I'd like to see what other materials are used in this class," Fraasch said. "If you research Michael Mann, you will find there is not complete agreement about his theories."
Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/04-15-ML-book-issue-B
"Dire predictions: Understanding Global Warming--The Illustrated Guide to the Findings of the IPCC" by Michael E. Mann and Lee R. Kump was recommended for a high school environmental geoscience class. The IPCC is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
By law, the school board is required to approve all student texts. There are seven books on the list. Board members Mark Hart and James Fraasch, however, questioned this book selection. "Why is this on the list?" Hart asked. "And is there another book used in the class which shows the other side-that science is not in complete agreement about global warming?" "I'd like to see what other materials are used in this class," Fraasch said. "If you research Michael Mann, you will find there is not complete agreement about his theories."
Link: www.thealmanac.net/ALM/Story/04-15-ML-book-issue-B
Labels: school board, science textbook
6 Comments:
I realize it's a touchy subject, but it's in the same realm of thought. There is not complete agreement on the topic of evolution, but it' still taught in public schools... hmm?
-Melissa Ott
If the School Board wants to meddle in curriculum decisions -- at the level of picking and choosing particular textbooks -- a long, dangerous, and contentious road lies ahead.
For example, what does "complete agreement" mean? Even evolutionary biologists would probably agree that there is not "complete agreement" on the topic of evolution, but evolutionary biologists would agree that evolution occurs, that it occurs via mechanisms of natural selection, that it is grounded in scientific investigation, and that it should be taught in all schools -- to the exclusion of models that are not grounded in scientific investigation.
That's really the point with Michael Mann or any other textbook author selected for use in a science class: Is this someone whose work is grounded in science? If so, then the School Board should stay out.
As for Michael Mann in particular, it's important to distinguish between his "hockey stick" work, which has been questioned, and his support of the proposition that human-created carbon dioxide has contributed to global warming. That proposition is controversial in some quarters, but there is broad support for it among scientists, and that's the proposition that I believe that the School Board has no business debating -- so long as the relevant teachers and department chairs judge that it should be taught to our students.
The Superintendent has made it very clear that unless you have a child in the classroom being discussed, you are not permitted to know what happens in said classroom.
This prohibition includes school board members.
This should surprise no one. Recently the College Board of Princeton, NJ put into place an SAT Test for School Boards. Only people who take this test can serve. If you would like to see if you, too, could aspire to the position of School Board Director get out your No. 2 Pencil and take the test:
1) Astronomy: Based on evidence from observations of the sun, moon stars and other celestial bodies and the relative changes in their positions over the periods of many months one can only conclude:
a) The Sun revolves around the Earth.
b) As Copernicus proposes, the Earth and the other planets revolve around the Sun.
c) If you research the rotation of the planets you will find that there is not complete agreement about the theories of Copernicus. Therefore this topic should not be included in the curriculum of an educational institution.
d) Science is not a body of fact but, rather, is a process for analyzing information and drawing conclusions in a rational manner. To defer such logical thought always puts society at risk for delaying the acquisition of useful knowledge.
2) Geography: Based on comprehensive observations from multiple observatories and relating the experience of seafaring individuals it can be absolutely concluded:
a) The world is flat. Ships that sail to the west can expect to fall off the edge of the world and will never be heard from again. The first person to do this will be toast.
b) As Columbus proposes, the world is round. Ships that sail west can expect to continue beyond the horizon and eventually encounter the spice rich Indies unless they encounter the vast resources of the continents of the Western Hemisphere. The first person to actually do this will become a famous personage in world history and will have a Holiday dedicated in their honor in the United States.
c) If you research the shape of the world you will find that there is not complete agreement about the theories of Columbus. Therefore this topic should not be included in the curriculum of an educational institution.
d) Science is not a body of fact but, rather, is a process for analyzing information and drawing conclusions in a rational manner. To defer such logical thought always puts society at risk for delaying the acquisition of useful knowledge.
3) Biology: Based on observations of living groups of organisms that have a common ancestor but are now actually very different if form one can only reasonably conclude:
a) The changes are too precise to be result of anything other than the force of an intelligent designer.
b) As Darwin proposes, organisms that become isolated will experience change in their forms based on becoming optimal for their specific environment.
c) If you research the origins of species you will find that there is not complete agreement about the theories of Darwin. Therefore this topic should not be included in the curriculum of an educational institution.
d) Science is not a body of fact but, rather, is a process for analyzing information and drawing conclusions in a rational manner. To defer such logical thought always puts society at risk for delaying the acquisition of useful knowledge.
4) Medicine: If you leave a container of broth by a dusty road it soon putrefies. One can only reasonable conclude that:
a) Purification is the result of spontaneous change in the broth no doubt accelerated by the loneliness caused by being left by the roadside.
b) As Pasteur proposes, microorganisms that are too small to be seen by the naked eye but, nevertheless exist, cause a biochemical process to change the components in the broth into other compounds.
c) If you research the cause of purification you will find that there is not complete agreement about the theories of Pasteur. Therefore this topic should not be included in the curriculum of an educational institution.
d) Science is not a body of fact but, rather, is a process for analyzing information and drawing conclusions in a rational manner. To defer such logical thought always puts society at risk for delaying the acquisition of useful knowledge.
5) Global Warming: Based on the observations of a steady increase in the average annual temperature of the atmosphere of the earth one can only reasonably conclude:
a) Liberal politicians have concocted the data in an effort to reduce the resale value of SUVs and win Academy Awards.
b) As Michael Mann proposes, left unchecked this trend will cause environmental and thus economic cataclysm as the result of changes in vegetation, rising sea levels and other consequences.
c) If you research Global Warming you will find that there is not complete agreement about the theories of Michael Mann. Therefore this topic should not be included in the curriculum of an educational institution.
d) Science is not a body of fact but, rather, is a process for analyzing information and drawing conclusions in a rational manner. To defer such logical thought always puts society at risk for delaying the acquisition of useful knowledge.
It's amazing when one's personal bias comes out in such a flippant fashion, as evidenced by the recent comments of Mr. Hurd.
From the article and my comments, Mr. Hurd should have figured out that one of my main concerns was the apparent lack of balance in the recommended textbooks, and in the curriculum concerning this subject. However, that would have required a bit of reading comprehension on his part.
Perhaps Mr. Hurd should review his own SAT Test results, particularly his reading scores, before criticizing others over a legitimate textbook inquiry.
- Mark Hart
The School Code requires the School Board to vote on all curriculum including all textbooks. If the Superintendent recommends a textbook, it takes six votes instead of five to over ride his recommendation.
In my mind, the Code recognizes the administrators and professional teachers, who do the legwork on textbook recommendations, as the authorities on textbooks and it provides a check and balance to a system that serves differing constituencies.
Voting against the recommendation of your professional staff is a not an easy decision, but you take an Oath of Office to uphold the Laws of our State. Each Director needs to vote his/her conscience to keep that Oath.
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