President Bush has come one step closer in trying to convince Americans that marriage can only occur between a man and a woman – and who better for him to thank than his friends from Texas.

After pressure from conservative politicos in Texas, several book publishing companies last week decided to rephrase descriptions of marriage in textbooks to promote a one-sided view of marriage – a conservative view targeting America’s youth that sends a message that gay marriage is unacceptable and wrong.

Last week, the Texas Board of Education asked publishers to change entries appearing in high school and middle school health textbooks to describe marriage as the union of a man and a woman. The request would change book phrases such as “when two people marry” to “when a man and a woman marry.”

Instead of acknowledging their quest to send students a one-sided message as sly and scheming, Republicans claim the new saying will not promote “asexual stealth phrases” and give specifics to the word “individuals.”

Whether a state – or anyone for that matter – has a negative view on gay marriage, that political view shouldn’t be pushed upon students in the hopes that they, too, will join a crusade against accepting gay marriage.

With Texas being one of the nation’s biggest textbook buyers, the new phrases can send one-sided political views to students across the country.

Textbooks utilized by developing students shouldn’t be sending any political message, but rather, should provide an unbiased depiction of marriage and leave it up to each individual to decide his or her thoughts on the issue.

With every issue, there is always more than one side. Textbook publishers ignore that fact if they print one-sided messages. They should stay out of the political games politicians play.