Sins of Commission and Omission:

Abstract

This study systematically assessed high school educational materials for aging-related content. Ninety-one textbooks in nine subjects were analyzed. Content analysis indicated that the textbooks contain both sins of commission and sins of omission in regard to aging-related information. Instances of false or misleading information and negative portrayals of aging and the elderly in written text and illustrations were identified. More significant, however, was the widespread inattention to the aged and aging-related topics. Just as textbook authors and publishers have been responsive to concerns about race, ethnicity, and gender, they need to become sensitive to aging-related issues. This study should encourage authors and publishers to build a more substantive framework for aging education in a variety of high school subjects.