Florida Education Department responds to report of removing climate change from science textbooks

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Florida State Representative is demanding answers after the Orlando Sentinel reported the Florida Department of Education required some authors to remove or edit references to climate change in science textbooks.

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State Representative Anna Eskamani PhD (D-Orlando) has sent a letter to Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Democratic questioning whether state education leaders had altered and even removed some references to climate change in several science textbooks before approving them for use in Florida classrooms.

“This is a downward spiral of Florida pulling us back in time. Republican politicians preferring to choose partisan politics over just good governing,” said Eksmani.

The news comes less than a month after Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new state law that removed all references to climate change in state statute.

In defense of that policy, the Governor argued the law is intended to focus the state’s energy policy on more reliable forms of energy like natural gas during a June press conference.

“So, this is not about saying this or saying that. It’s about what policies do you think are in the best interest of the State of Florida and I have no doubt making sure energy is attainable and affordable for people is very important,” said DeSantis.

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The Florida Department of Education weighed in on the climate change textbook controversy.

“Florida has set a high bar for education, with some of the most rigorous educational standards in the nation. This is why Florida has ranked number one for education two years in a row. In order for instructional materials to be used in Florida classrooms, they must align to our high-quality standards, State Board rule and Florida law,” said FDOE Communications Director Sydney Booker in an emailed statement. “As such, Florida works with publishers to ensure that their product aligns with our standards and does not include any form of ideology or indoctrination.”

But Eskamani argued Florida is ground zero when it comes to climate change impacts, and by failing to teach it accurately in schools, Florida students will be left in the dark.

“And it’s sad because it puts us at a disadvantage, not only in addressing this crisis head on, but of course in setting up our students for failure when trying to compete at a global scale of the next generation of jobs,” said Eskamani.

This isn’t the first time the Florida Department of Education has come under fire for requesting alterations in school textbooks.

In 2022, the department rejected 28 math textbooks for incorporating prohibited topics and strategies, including critical race theory.

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