I examined the texts for scientific and economic accuracy, objectivity, and balance. Findings Most parents assume textbook coverage of the environmental issues is scientifically accurate and objectively presented. My review of 62 textbooks used in 12 Wisconsin school districts dealing with topics of environmental importance does not support this assumption. With few exceptions, I found that textbook treatment of environmental issues is influence by an ideological view that presents human beings as evil and blames the United States in particular and Western industrial societies in general for every environmental ill. Seventy-five percent of the texts do not mention the naturally acidic nature of precipitation.
Most texts list a host of detrimental effects and state as fact that acid rain is the cause.
Opposing views, including the findings of the largest scientific study of acid rain ever conducted, are either ignored or denigrated. Based on what students learn from most of their textbooks, most would conclude that government control of forests is essential to saving our woodlands. They would know nothing about the problems of government management or how market incentives work to encourage replanting. The vast majority of texts that discussed endangered species explain the human causation theory. Although some texts admit that no one really knows the number of species that have been lost, all the texts estimate very large numbers.