Textbooks and botany

In grade school science books generally plants get overlooked, downplayed, and portrayed as static objects, so kids come to think of plants as "boring". For those of us in the botanical education business, none of this comes as a surprise, however, it's still good to have real studies of the problem. And the errors and misconceptions about plants taught to kids; it's terrible. How many times has the Phactor seen the cotyledons of a bean seed labeled "endosperm"? Plants respire like animals, but they don't "breathe". No, no, stop before you start ranting. You would do well to check your kids science books, and if they ignore plants, or get the plant facts wrong, complain. Of course, the Phactor did this, and the middle school science teacher told me, "Well, plants just aren't interesting." In this case it was sheer ignorance of plant biology compounded by just plain poor, passive teaching. Don't stand for it. Buy them funking plants for the class room. Suggest a field trip to a botanical garden. Bring in a load of unusual fruits including those that kids think are vegetables. Which ones have seeds that grow? Help the school develop a learning garden. Generate some interest. My job depends on it!