When Glencoe Publishing sent a biology bookto North Carolinaschools,publishers left out a phrase. The omission madethe explanation of a molecule incorrect.Three pages later in the same book, there was another critical mistake.
Southeast High teacher Abby Stotsenberg avoidsrelying on textbooks in her U.S. History classes after she found errorswhen teaching middleschool in Hoke County.
"The questions at the end of a section didnot match the text," she says. "Students had ... a horrible time trying tofind the answer. The answers were not there."
North Carolina is thefourth largest state purchasing textbooks, spending more than $58 milliona year on them, in spite of the mistakes. The state school board islooking at using thatclout to make publishers certify books.
Wandra Poke, North Carolina textbookcoordinator, says the process would involve publishers saying"I have reviewed this book, I have had experts toreview this book, and I certify that this bookis error-free."
The school board may also have North Carolinateachers review books for errors.Teachers WRAL talked to object because theysay that is thepublishers job.
"I think theydefinitely need to be held accountable andresponsible for the errors they make. Therest of us are," Stotsenberg says.
The state may also finepublishers who continue to let their books slipby without the facts.
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