New York City, the country’s largest school system, is getting a head start on a possible curriculum mandate with its efforts to compost lunches, decarbonize school buildings and prepare older students for careers in the clean energy sector. In February, the Department of Education will co-host a larger climate change training session, along with the United Federation of Teachers, for up to 500 educators at all grade levels.
While New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and California are actively incorporating climate change into curriculums, other states including Texas, Virginia and Florida have resisted, said Glenn Branch, the deputy director of the National Center for Science Education. Reasons include community opposition in more conservative states and outdated science standards, he said.
Even in regions that embrace climate change education, there is some pushback. In Connecticut, State Representative John Piscopo, a Republican, wants to amend standards to include more questioning of whether man-made greenhouse gases are the main source of global warming.
To read more about the Center's role in bringing Climate Change Education to New York City classrooms, click here