Iowa Education Standards at Risk: Potential Removal of Climate Change References Raises Concerns

Iowa’s Department of Education has proposed new science education standards that are stirring up conversation. One of the biggest changes is the replacement of the term “climate change” with phrases such as “climate trends” and “change over time.”

These standards aim to outline what students should learn in science classes. While some experts believe changing the wording won’t stop teachers from covering climate change or evolution, it may make their jobs harder. Glenn Branch, from the National Center for Science Education, emphasized that teachers should present science as it is understood by scientists, without downplaying important terms.

On Tuesday, the state unveiled these proposed updates to the public. The absence of “climate change” and the introduction of “climate trends” have raised eyebrows. The National Center for Science Education noted that, while teachers will likely still teach these topics, the new wording might discourage those who aren’t confident in their knowledge or fear backlash from the community.

When questioned about the changes, the Iowa Department of Education mentioned that “climate trends” is a term used by other government agencies. However, a look at neighboring states reveals that most mention “climate change” directly, with only Nebraska using the term “climate trends.”

Branch pointed out that how evolution and climate change are treated in state science standards significantly impacts classroom instruction. The department claims the new standards were reviewed by a group of teachers, families, and experts. However, leaked documents suggest discrepancies between what the review committee recommended and what was publicly released.

For instance, a draft from the review committee included a section called “Global Climate Change,” discussing human activities, like burning fossil fuels, that affect the Earth’s temperature. In contrast, the released document omits mentions of human impact and fossil fuels, instead noting that the Earth has gone through natural warming and cooling cycles.

Experts like Branch argue that these changes send a confusing message about discussing evolution and climate change in classrooms, potentially undermining science education in Iowa.

Source link

education,iowa,school,science,climate change,evolution,standards,department of education