Read more: 鈥�Education campaigner wants to expel climate denial鈥�
A NEW front has opened in the battle over US school science curricula. After decades of fighting to keep creationism out of the classroom, US science education advocates are steeling themselves to face a new foe: climate change sceptics.
Over the past few years, several US states and local school boards have introduced measures that would mean teachers must include the views of those who are sceptical of a human influence on climate change in science lessons.
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Three years ago, for example, Texas revised its science teaching standards to require that students 鈥渁nalyse and evaluate different views on the existence of global warming鈥�. The next time Texas purchases science textbooks, this standard could be used to reject books that do not include a degree of climate change scepticism, says Steven Newton, programmes and policy director for the (NCSE), a non-profit organisation based in Oakland, California. Similar measures have been passed in Louisiana and South Dakota.
In 2011, the US informally surveyed 555 US teachers who discuss climate change issues in the classroom. Over one-third of them reported facing influence to teach 鈥渂oth sides鈥� of a climate change debate.
So far, there are no reports that teachers have actually been forced to teach climate change scepticism in their classrooms. To make sure that doesn鈥檛 change, the that it is adding climate change to its portfolio. Until now, the organisation has focused on supporting the teaching of evolution in schools.
鈥淐limate change education is kind of where evolution education was 30 years ago,鈥� says Newton.
聯Climate change education in the US is kind of where evolution education was 30 years ago聰
