Dubious Assertion in Next Generation Science Standards

The Kentucky Board of Education voted yesterday to adopt the Next Generation Science Standards for use in Kentucky’s public schools without even questioning this particularly problematic part of the package (which was brought to the attention of several board members before the meeting):

ESS3.

D: Global Climate Change

• Human activities, such as the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, are major factors in the current rise in Earth’s mean surface temperature (global warming). Reducing the level of climate change and reducing human vulnerability to whatever climate changes do occur depend on the understanding of climate science, engineering capabilities, and other kinds of knowledge, such as understanding of human behavior and on applying that knowledge wisely in decisions and activities. (MS-ESS3-5) Notice the underlined part of this standard (underlining added by me) is presented as an absolute fact – not even just a prevailing theory – A FACT! That ties teachers’ hands about how they will have to teach it.

During the board’s meeting, a grandmother brought in a petition she had assembled at moveon.org with 3,700 signatures favoring the Next Generation Science Standards. I am sorry I didn’t find the link to this other petition, which disputes global warming, until today. I think a petition signed by 31,487 American scientists, including 9,029 with PhDs, might trump something collected in the moveon.org web site signed by people of unknown backgrounds.

As a note, the greenhouse gas “facts” continue to be in dispute.

Greenhouse theory is challenged, for example, by recent research from the University of Waterloo in Canada. Read about that in the university’s news release titled, “Global warming caused by CFCs, not carbon dioxide, study says.”

There are a number of other examples where scientists have come up with theories that counter the dire predictions of the greenhouse gas theorists. Without claiming any of these papers are right or wrong, but just to show that controversy continues to exists, here are a few of those.

“Greenhouse theory smashed by biggest stone” from Phys.org, March 14, 2006.Here’s a very recent paper, “Scientists narrow global warming range,” that indicates existing global warming models are wrong and warming won’t be nearly so great, but also claim warming amounts are very hard to predict.

“Greenhouse effect is a myth, say scientists” shows not all scientists are on board. Worse, some scientists claim their research has been misrepresented by others to indicate support for the theory when the opposite is actually true.

The Heartland Institute also has a lot of interesting research on global warming. Here is one interesting article they link to.Find more greenhouse gas articles for yourself. Just Google with this search term: “Global Warming not due to greenhouse gasses.” Actually, if you are into science, the reading is interesting.

In any event, my point here is that the board voted to force a still developing and politically charged position – one which certainly has not been investigated long enough to be considered a scientific fact – down our teachers’ and students’ throats. I have no problem with discussions of the topic, but it needs to be done in a way that allows teachers and students to really explore what is happening without being told in advance that only one opinion is acceptable. That is not the way real science is done.

I have another suggestion. Now that school is out and our science teachers and professors have some time to look at it, I suggest they go over the Next Generation Science Standards carefully to see if there are other absolutes and similar problems that will impair the real instruction of science in Kentucky’s classrooms. Honestly, I don’t think there will be many issues, but this one snuck through the process, so I wouldn’t bet that there are not additional places where wording needs changing, either. If problems surface, individuals can bring those forward during the pending hearings on the regulation adopting the standards, 704 KAR 3:303. There will still be a public comment period and hearings in the legislature, as well, before the standards are fully adopted.

You can find the highly contentious standard shown above on Page 72 in the “DCI Arrangements of the Next Generation Science Standards.”

You will find the exact same standard in the new edition of the Kentucky Core Content Standards on Page 418 (use the Acrobat Reader’s page numbers; they didn’t post printed page numbers in this 600+ page document!) under the title, “MS.

Weather and Climate.”