Parents Blast Climate Denial In Schools: ‘You Have To Teach Real Science’

[babylonsister]

This!


Parents Blast Climate Denial In Schools: ‘You Have To Teach Real Science’

By Katie Valentine July 10, 2014 at 5:00 pm


New national standards for teaching science in public schools have sparked backlash in several states, particularly from officials who want teachers to teach climate change as a scientific debate, rather than accepted science.

But several groups that are concerned about the future of climate science education in the U.S. are pushing back. Today, four environmental organizations released the Climate Science Students Bill of Rights, a document that the groups hope will help them rally support around the Next Generation Science Standards from companies, scientific organizations, and local activists, as well as from students, parents, and teachers. The document asserts that students have five rights when it comes to climate education, including receiving high-quality education “free from ideological or political interference,” and exploring “the causes and consequences of climate change.”

John Friedrich, member of Climate Parents, a group that advocates on behalf of science education in schools and was one of the main sponsors of the Bill of Rights, said on a press call that the Bill of Rights represents the launch of a new national campaign to spread the idea that all students, in every state, have the right to learn about climate change.

“It’s unacceptable for students to be denied information about this crisis. Young people need to be given the tools to develop solutions” to help solve the the problem of climate change, he said.

The immediate solution to the climate education problem in this country, the groups say, is the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards, which were put together by 26 states as well as science and education organizations and seek to provide guidelines for science education, helping to standardize what kids in every state are learning in science classes.

more...

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/07/10/3458851/parents-climate-curricula/

[redqueen]

1. So good to see this!

K&R!

[world wide wally]

2. I teach 8th grade Science and I teach climate change as a FACT.

Over the past few years, I see much fewer students arguing about it even though there is always a couple who's parents feed them Fox News.

So what do I do about that?
I simply tell them that if the question of whether climate change is real is on the test, and they say "no". It is wrong....period.

After all, I am the adult

[ffr]

4. An ovation for your teaching skills

The parents can continue to believe what they feel they need to believe, but their flawed worldview need not handicap the next generation.

Great work!

[longship]

3. One can track this issue at NCSE.

National Center for Science Education is fighting the fight against ideological anti-science in schools.