AHA Action - Petition against biased textbooks

Join Matthew LaClair's New Action

You've heard of Matthew LaClair, the intrepid New Jersey high school student and humanist who exposed his bible-thumping teacher who derided evolution in class. Now LaClair is back--this time the champion of scientific integrity and ideological neutrality in textbooks. And you are needed to join him in his effort.

The Advanced Placement text, American Government, which is published by Houghton Mifflin, contains incorrect or otherwise biased and misleading information about a variety of issues, including the separation of church and state and environmental policy. For example, the book asserts:

"It is a foolish politician today who opposes environmentalism. And that creates a problem, because not all environmental issues are equally deserving of support. Take the case of global warming." (p. 559)

"The earth has become warmer, but is this mostly the result of natural climate changes, or is it heavily influenced by humans putting greenhouse gases into the air?" (p. 559)

"On the one hand, a warmer globe will cause sea levels to rise, threatening coastal communities; on the other hand, greater warmth will make it easier and cheaper to grow crops and avoid high heating bills." (p. 559)

"But many other problems are much less clear-cut. Science doesn't know how bad the green-house effect is." (p. 566)

In fact, the science is not ambiguous: global warming is happening and there is wide consensus that it has been greatly influenced by human activity. And it's bad.

LaClair has joined with Friends of the Earth to send a petition to Houghton Mifflin, asking for an addendum and corrections in the textbook. Sign the petition here: http://action.foe.org/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=24133 . The petition has already surpassed the 5,000 signature mark, but your help is still needed. Take a stand for the unbiased education of our students. Sign the petition today!