Climate Change Education May Soon Be Incorporated Into More NYC Classrooms
Last year, New Jersey, the first state to mandate climate change lessons, introduced them in its public schools. Several similar bills are being considered in New York, one of which proposes to teach climate change across all grades and subject matters and has the support of over 115 educators and nonprofits like the National Wildlife Federation.
“Climate change is not a future threat; it’s a present reality,” said State Senator James Sanders Jr., a Democrat who represents sections of southeast Queens like the Rockaways that are vulnerable to sea level rise and flooding. He is a sponsor of another bill that would include the topic in science classes. 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 Reasons include community opposition in more conservative states and outdated science standards, he said.