Science News in Brief

Science Teachers’ Group Comes Out Strong on Teaching Climate Change

By Stephen Sawchuk — September 18, 2018 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

The major group representing science educators is making this point crystal clear: The scientific consensus for climate change caused by human activity is overwhelming, and the topic must be taught in K-12 classrooms.

The National Science Teachers Association says in its position statement, released last week, that the science of climate change is as established as other fields, like plate tectonics and planetary astronomy.

“Given the solid scientific foundation on which climate-change science rests, any controversies regarding climate change and human-caused contributions to climate change that are based on social, economic, or political arguments—rather than scientific arguments—should not be part of a science curriculum,” it says.

Idaho, New Mexico, and West Virginia, have all faced controversies over the past two years over how they’ve revised their science standards on the topic of climate change. And just in the past weeks, Arizona released a new draft that eliminates some pieces related to climate change.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the September 19, 2018 edition of Education Week as Science Teachers’ Group Comes Out Strong on Teaching Climate Change

Events

Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and other jobs in K-12 education at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Science Opinion Want to Get Students Excited About Physics? Try Using a Glass of Water
The physics field needs more new voices. Celebrating the everyday awe around you is a good place to start, writes a Yale physicist.
Charles D. Brown II
4 min read
A glass with clean clear water and sharp shadows stands on a white wood table with subtle superimposed molecules.
Istock/Getty Images + Education Week
Science U.S. Teachers Lag Behind Global Peers in Teaching About Sustainability. Here's Why
Many say they want materials and supports to help them weave topics like clean energy across subjects.
4 min read
Teacher talking to students about recycling in the classroom at school
E+
Science Q&A How High School Students Are Making STEM Education Accessible for Younger Kids
Team STEAM is a program where high school students help elementary students develop STEM skills.
3 min read
Students from MC2 STEM High School in Cleveland critique their classmates’ projects for an event that blends STEM and art on March 16, 2017.
Students critique their classmates’ projects for an event that blends STEM and art in Cleveland on March 16, 2017.
Allison Shelley for All4Ed
Science Opinion How to Teach Students About Climate Change—Without Giving Them Eco-Anxiety
Climate science education is essential, but the wrong approach can damage young people’s mental health, warn two students. Here are 4 tips.
Willa Grifka & Luke Williams
4 min read
Photo illustration of a green nature filled silhouette of a person standing in contemplation looking at smoggy urban cityscape.
FangXiaNuo/iStock/Getty