IOWA’S NEWS NOW — There’s controversy brewing over a document outlining Iowa’s science education standards. Recently, it was revealed that the version available for public feedback doesn’t match what a committee approved last year. Committee members claim it leaves out important parts about climate change and evolution.
Jeffrey Nordine, a professor at the University of Iowa and a member of the committee, said the group met five times over two months. They worked hard to create a document that would keep the current standards while adding valuable context. The existing standards were established in 2015.
According to Nordine, the committee intended for their document to undergo only minor editing before public review. However, they were shocked to find significant changes had been made without their input. “Everyone I’ve spoken to on the committee is surprised and concerned that our names are linked to something we did not endorse,” he shared.
Nordine expressed uncertainty about who made the changes but remains hopeful that the original recommendations will prevail. “Our duty as science educators is to provide students with the best information available and teach them how to think critically about it,” he emphasized. He is worried that the recent modifications lack valid scientific reasoning to support improvements in science education in Iowa.
This week marks the fourth of five public comment sessions regarding the updated science standards. The final meeting will take place next Thursday, January 23, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Iowa Department of Education in Des Moines, and it will also be available online via Zoom. Feedback can also be submitted through a public survey until February 3.
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Source linkIowa,Science education,Standards,Climate change,Biological evolution,Public comment,Department of Education,Jeffrey Nordine
