Just When You Thought It Was Safe...

Ok, so you may recall my recent blasting of Ranger Rick, Jr. March 2014 issue for publishing incorrect data on shark bones.

WELL

I found out that Americans continue to surprise me with their incompetence, particularly people in power...because here's the answer I received from the Editor-in-Chief:


Professor Irish Lass,

Thanks for taking the time to contact me regarding our March issue. 

I'm not a biologist of any kind, but I do try to fact check all content that appears in the pages of Ranger Rick Jr. In regards to sharks having bone, my research indicated that a shark's jaw was made of cartilage that was strengthened with calcium salts which formed a "calcified cartilage that has similar strength characteristics of bone without the added weight." I did not pursue this issue further with a marine biologist because it seemed fairly straightforward. The jaw isn't exactly cartilage, nor is it bone. Given the fact, the magazine is written for young children, I didn't think it was appropriate to try to explain the differences between the types of cartilage in the various parts of a shark.

Thanks again for your interest in Ranger Rick magazine. 

Sincerely,

--- -----
Editor-in-Chief
Early Childhood Publications


I want you to notice the second line again:
I'm not a biologist of any kind


And then the part about how she did some research on her own and thought she had the right answer and then didn't bother to confirm it.

<EYE BLINK>

wow

So, here's my response to her.

Dear Ms. Collins,

Calcified cartilage is what bone is.  All bones, even bones in vertebrates, start out at cartilage models and then calcium "ossifies" or hardens it to make bone. There are different types of bone that can be made from this model, however, all calcified cartilage is BONE.  

Chrondrichthyes are bony-jawed fish.  

The issue is incorrect.

There are several other incorrect items in this issue:

1. Primates are missing from the Vertebrate class.

2. The story about Ricky and friends features "Ms. Cardinal"...who is actually drawn as a male cardinal.  Female cardinals are not bright red.  They are two different colors of drab, with black faces and bright orange beaks.

I'm really disappointed with the editing in this issue.  Ranger Rick has always been a source of education about our biological world and it seems that there are several oversights were are teaching children errors.

Ranger Rick, Jr. needs to recall the issue and fix the problems.

Sincerely,

Professor Irish Lass

While I doubt it will get the necessary response, I at least have her quotes here to share with the world.

And, yes, sharks do have a bony jaw.