Florida’s Department of Education requested that major science textbook publishers make alterations to content addressing climate change during the summer of 2024, according to an investigation by WUSF and The Hechinger Report. The modifications ranged from substantial removals to subtle rewording, including replacing “climate change” with “changes in the environment” and removing specific language about the health impacts of warming temperatures. One instance saw a detailed reference to research documenting climate change-related mortality replaced with vaguer language about potential health effects. Publishers also removed descriptors such as “polluting” from references to coal power plants and eliminated examples of students engaging in renewable energy initiatives.
These textbook modifications occur as Florida simultaneously undertakes its first comprehensive update to state science standards since 2008. The existing standards require instruction on human-caused climate change in several high school science courses, including earth science, marine science, and environmental science. However, officials have not clarified whether climate education will remain part of the updated standards. The National Center for Science Education noted that the requested changes exceeded what was necessary to comply with existing state academic standards.
The textbook content revisions align with broader state policies implemented under Governor Ron DeSantis. In May 2024, the governor removed climate change references from state statutes. Additionally, state education officials have implemented policies that some educators describe as creating a “culture of caution” around potentially controversial topics. While teachers report they are not explicitly prohibited from discussing climate change, many indicate pressure from administrators to avoid the subject.
Science educators in Florida have expressed concern about the implications for student understanding of environmental issues affecting the state. Teachers interviewed for the investigation, who requested anonymity citing concerns about retaliation, noted that Florida faces significant climate impacts including intensified storms and increased flooding. Textbook publishers defended their revisions as routine adjustments to align with state requirements, though one textbook author stated the changes were unsettling and degraded the educational quality of the material.
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