Arguments
NCSE's counter-Heartland flyers
Posted on 24 May 2017 by Guest Author
The National Center for Science Education (NCSE) is pleased to announce the on-line release of three flyers addressing the Heartland Institute's recent mailing of unsolicited climate change denial propaganda to science teachers across the country.
"Have You Received This? Then Read This" (PDF; one page) briefly explains why using the material in the classroom would be a mistake. "Top 5 Reasons Why This Book Doesn't Belong in Classroom" (PDF; four pages) amplifies, noting that the material gets the facts wrong, misrepresents the scientific consensus, slanders the gold standard of climate science review, contradicts state science standards, textbooks, and curricula, and uses sham citations and dishonest tactics. "Heartland's Claims Against the 97% Climate Consensus" (PDF; six pages) debunks a central claim of the material — that there is not a robust scientific consensus on anthropogenic climate change — and explains the significance of the scientific consensus.
For further resources about the material, see the April 14, 2017, summary at NCSE's blog as well as a later story in Deutsche Welle (April 21, 2017) and Curt Stager's recent op-ed in The New York Times (April 27, 2017).
If this sort of climate nonsense and deceit is allowed into schools, where does it stop? Next anti vaccination and anti flouride rubbish will be allowed in. Children will become missinformed, and at the very least totally confused.
I'm a strong believer in freedom of speech and rights of lobby groups, as far as the adult world goes, but I feel children have to be protected from rubbish from lobby groups, as they are not in a position to discern good from bad, or misleading information. Free speech is a right, but comes with a few responsibilities, and limits in some cases.
nigelj@1m
You feel so strongly about protecting children and minorities from the rubbish by professional AGW denialist. What aould you then say about protecting future generations, as they will be bearing the brunt of those denialists who want to ensure lack of mitigation in their time, just like we bearing the brunt of our fathers who buned FF without limit throughout most of XX century. Future generations are even more vulnerable than current children, as they cannot say anything, they cannot even cry.