Science Textbook Questioned

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