Richard Tafoya
Mar 3rd, 2008, 07:32 PM
Salt Lake Tribune:
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_8441420
Two years ago, Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, tried to change what Utah science teachers could say about evolution. He wanted equal time in the classroom for the religious concepts of creationism. He failed, thanks to more reasonable members of the Legislature.
Today, some ill-informed parents, here and in other states, are objecting to science instructors teaching about global warming unless they present the views of an obtuse handful of naysayers who say human production of carbon emissions is not to blame for climate change or that there is no looming crisis.
Some of these parents call the issue "political" or "religious." It is neither. It is an issue of science, and, as far as the vast majority of legitimate scientists are concerned, it is settled science.
Some parents, and even some teachers, see "two sides" to the climate-change discussion. If there are two sides, they are extremely unbalanced, with at least 90 percent of credible scientists agreeing that human-produced emissions are the cause and 10 percent or fewer who have doubts.
...
Worldwide, most climate-change deniers are in full retreat, and the public is waking up to the realities of global warming: islands and coasts inundated by rising seas, Arctic and Antarctic ice caps shrinking faster than anyone predicted, severe weather, drought, wildfires.
The children being taught in Utah schools today will have to deal with the hunger, displacement and economic chaos that are inevitable if Earth's growing population doesn't act quickly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
As to the need to be "fair" and present all arguments, we agree with Barbara Gentry, secondary science teacher specialist for the Jordan School District, who says that's not necessary since it's so difficult to find science-based materials on the other side.
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_8441420
Two years ago, Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, tried to change what Utah science teachers could say about evolution. He wanted equal time in the classroom for the religious concepts of creationism. He failed, thanks to more reasonable members of the Legislature.
Today, some ill-informed parents, here and in other states, are objecting to science instructors teaching about global warming unless they present the views of an obtuse handful of naysayers who say human production of carbon emissions is not to blame for climate change or that there is no looming crisis.
Some of these parents call the issue "political" or "religious." It is neither. It is an issue of science, and, as far as the vast majority of legitimate scientists are concerned, it is settled science.
Some parents, and even some teachers, see "two sides" to the climate-change discussion. If there are two sides, they are extremely unbalanced, with at least 90 percent of credible scientists agreeing that human-produced emissions are the cause and 10 percent or fewer who have doubts.
...
Worldwide, most climate-change deniers are in full retreat, and the public is waking up to the realities of global warming: islands and coasts inundated by rising seas, Arctic and Antarctic ice caps shrinking faster than anyone predicted, severe weather, drought, wildfires.
The children being taught in Utah schools today will have to deal with the hunger, displacement and economic chaos that are inevitable if Earth's growing population doesn't act quickly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
As to the need to be "fair" and present all arguments, we agree with Barbara Gentry, secondary science teacher specialist for the Jordan School District, who says that's not necessary since it's so difficult to find science-based materials on the other side.