Groups push for climate science in classrooms

Climate science is not only being debated by lawmakers on Capitol Hill, now teachers and parents are fighting to have it taught in classrooms.

A coalition of climate and science groups launched a petition Thursday, dubbed the Climate Science Bill of Rights, to urge local governments to adopt the standards and teach climate change science in grades 8-12.

{mosads}Opposition to climate science grew out of new Next Generation Science Standards crafted by the National Academy of Sciences and 26 states.

So far 12 have adopted the standards in full, which include teaching about the science behind climate change and impacts of it.

Earlier this year, Wyoming became the first state to prohibit spending on the Common Core standards because climate science was included.

On Wednesday, New Jersey adopted the standards after receiving the bill of rights petition from the group Climate Parents, an advocacy group.

Other sponsors of the petition include the Union of Concerned Scientists, National Center for Science Education and the Alliance for Climate Education.

“Climate science needs to be taught in U.S. schools because climate change poses a serious threat to American youth, and they deserve to learn about the science behind it so that they have a foundation upon which to innovate solutions,” said co-founder of Climate Parents, Lisa Hoyos.

“The Climate Science Students Bill of Rights is a direct response to efforts by some politicians attacks on climate education,” Hoyos added.

Spokesman for the coalition Daniel Kessler called opposition to teaching climate science in schools a “serious generational crisis.”

But Republicans in Congress argue the climate change policies pushed by Democrats are “alarmist” and will “kill coal jobs.”

Debate over the science behind climate change likely won’t stop any time soon as the GOP has mounted an attack on President Obama’s climate agenda.

House Republicans are pushing measures to derail the administration’s rules on carbon emissions in spending bills for fiscal 2015.

Also, many Republicans up for reelection in both the House and Senate have made Obama’s agenda a key talking point on the campaign trail.