Second Bill Requiring Use of “Balanced” Teaching Materials Introduced in Florida

On February 27, 2019, a bill (Senate Bill 1454) was filed in the Florida Senate that would, if enacted, require the instructional materials used in public schools to “provide objective, balanced, and noninflammatory viewpoints on controversial issues.” The bill does not identify any particular issues as “controversial,” but science education groups have expressed concern that “evolution and climate change [may be]. . . among the targets.” The groups warned that, if Senate Bill 1454 is enacted, public schools may be required to use textbooks and other materials that question proven scientific theories in those areas.

Update

On May 3, 2019, Senate Bill 1454 died in the Florida Senate Committee on Education.