The good people at the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) have been promoting and defending the teaching of evolution in science classes for years. Despite a river of court rulings that favor the unfettered instruction of evolution in science classes, the practice remains under attack (usually by misguided boards of education), so NCSE is always busy.
As climate change debate has grown during recent years, the people at NCSE noticed parallels between evolution denialism (a.k.a. "creationism" or "intelligent design") and climate change denialism. Deniers reject mainstream scientific community consensus is favor of strongly-held personal opinions, and they actively seek to impose their positions on public school science instruction, among other things. Deniers demand that science curricula teach "both sides" of the issue at hand. They want the fact-based, scientific lessons to be balanced with fringe group, political/religious doctrine.
Science teachers generally prefer to stick to science. But in doing so, they may find themselves embroiled in controversy. This is where NCSE comes in. They marshall resources in defense on science-based science curriculum, arming teachers are parents everywhere with the latest information on how best to fend off attacks from deniers.
While NCSE has been involved in the creationism debate since its inception, it added climate science to its agenda just last week.
NCSE Executive Director, Dr. Eugenie Scott, is an intelligent, battle-tested expert in the evolution/creationism debate. Mark McCaffrey is NCSE's point man on climate science.
One particularly handy resource that NCSE links to is Skeptical Science. Skeptical Science has a brilliant page (and an iOS/Android app) that refutes popular climate science denial myths.
I am very happy the NCSE is picking up the climate issue. Long overdue given the preponderance of evidence. Some of the climate deniers are now changing their tune, however, from saying their is "no proof" to saying "there is no proof humans are responsible".
ReplyDeleteBtw, your blog is fantastic. My physics colleague and room neighbor (M. Sirowich) recommended it. I am new to blogging and hope have a blog as functional as yours someday.
That's the brilliance of the Skeptical Science Myth vs. What Science Says page.
ReplyDeleteHere's the counterpoint to the argument you mentioned