When we teach math or English in New Jersey, we should include lessons on climate change | Opinion

A professor of elementary science education at The College of New Jersey says New Jersey’s public school teachers should be provided with the tools they need to support our children in leading the nation through problem-solving and innovation.

By Lauren Madden

This past September, New Jersey became the first state to include climate change standards across the curriculum, starting in kindergarten. This important step put our state at the forefront of the nation and the world in preparing children to solve the problems we will face in the future.

Recent research suggests that explicit instruction about climate change can result in large-scale decreases in carbon emissions, to a similar degree as other broad changes like using renewable energy or switching to hybrid vehicles.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection released a scientific report on climate change in our state in 2020. Their findings make it clear that the negative impacts of climate change are more pronounced in our state than in many other places worldwide.

It is critical that we be proactive in our approach to mitigate these effects and develop creative solutions to ensure a prosperous future. Further, comprehensive climate change instruction, beginning at the early years of a child’s education, just makes common sense: as the world economy is shifting toward greener and more innovative industries, our schools must anticipate these shifts to help our children thrive in adulthood.

The New Jersey climate change standards released in September 2022 included all subject areas except English-Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics, due to the schedule in which our state approves modifications to standards. The updates to the standards in ELA and mathematics, which include integrating ideas related to climate change, are currently under revision, and the state board of education is currently seeking testimony from residents about these changes.

New Jerseyans largely agree that it is critical to teach children about climate change. In fact, a Fairleigh Dickinson University survey from May 2023 found that the majority of residents the political spectrum support climate change instruction across all grade levels and all content areas. Incorporating climate change education within foundational subjects of English-Language Arts and mathematics will help ensure that our children will learn about the topic in an accurate, comprehensive and age-appropriate way.

However, a vocal minority of activist groups are organizing efforts to stop the inclusion of climate change in our state’s learning standards. One group, Protect Your Children (PYC), sent several of its members to the state Board of Education’s May 3 meeting in Trenton to provide testimony about the updates to the ELA and mathematics standards.

This group also opposed earlier updates to our state’s standards, such as the use of LGBTQ+ inclusive language regarding families in the 2020 Health and Physical Education Standards. Members made appearances at local school board meetings across the state to express their concerns and instead suggested that schools use a monolithic heteronormative model for families exclusively.

On May 3, several PYC members shared testimony containing an identical paragraph applauding the “rigor” of the new ELA standards, but disappointment with messages of inclusivity and belonging in earlier standards. After reading this identical paragraph, PYC members then went on to criticize the inclusion of climate change in the revised standards. Several members of this group claimed there was a lack of scientific consensus on climate change and cited the work of discredited contrarian academics such as John Christy (University of Alabama-Huntsville) to support their positions.

To be clear, all reputable scientific organizations and educational professional groups agree: climate change is real and human-caused. The very small amount of debate among actual scientists relates to mathematical modeling regarding the magnitude and speed of our climate change. Claiming that climate change is “only a theory,” the PYC group believes it is important to show multiple sides to the non-existent scientific debate. Interestingly, the PYC group does not appear to have oppositional views about other commonly taught scientific theories such as gravitational theory or cell theory.

The members of this PYC group accused the state of encouraging “indoctrinating children” on multiple occasions. This is a surprising word choice, given their own narrowly defined views and statements, and obscure opinions.

New Jersey’s public school teachers are without a doubt our state’s greatest asset. Providing them with the tools they need to support our children in leading the nation through problem-solving and innovation should be a no-brainer.

The New Jersey Department of Education will continue to accept written testimony regarding these standards through June 7 at njstandardscomments@doe.nj.gov.

Dr. Lauren Madden is a professor of elementary science education at The College of New Jersey, where she also coordinates the minor and graduate certificate programs in Environmental Sustainability Education.

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