The Next Climate Change Battle

For decades now, because of their interpretation of the bible, Protestant fundamentalist have tried to stop the teaching of evolution, or they have tried to distract from it being taught in schools by having “creation science” taught along with evolution.

            In response the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) was created in the early 1980s to keep the teaching of biology and evolution free of these influences. Checking their website, it’s a little surprising how busy they are. From California, through the Midwest, into New England there always seems to be news of a school board watering down their science curricula or a state legislature passing a law that requires biology teachers to teach “both sides” of evolution and creation science.

            The NCSE or possibly another organization may wind up getting busy defending the teaching of science, this time the teachers who teach about climate change. The National Earth Science Teachers Association has released an executive summary of the findings of its online survey of K through 12 educators who teach about climate change. Over one third of the respondents said that they had been “influenced in some way” to teach “both sides” of climate change. About 25 to 30 percent said that parents, administrators, and members of their communities have disputed with them over whether or not climate change is happening or whether or not it is a phenomenon caused by humans.

            A similar survey conducted last year by the National Science Teachers Association found similar results. Teachers said that students expressed a great deal of skepticism about climate change and that 26 percent of science teachers said that their administrators had expressed skepticism about climate change. Both of these surveys were informal. Though their results are not conclusive, they are nonetheless troubling.

            The anti-evolution crusaders have churches and other organizations to push for their cause. My question is, right now, are there organizations that are trying to keep climate science out of the classroom? Are there Koch funded folks like the Heritage Foundation working to ensure that the next generation is as ignorant and destructive as we are?

Ref: National Center for Science Education ncse.com