Energy & Environment

Poll: Two-thirds of Republicans believe climate change should be taught in schools

Two-thirds of Republicans say climate change should be taught in school, according to a new poll.

The NPR poll, published Monday, found that 49 percent of Republicans surveyed said schools should teach climate change and the impacts it has on the environment, economy and society. Another 17 percent of Republican respondents said schools should teach climate change but not its impacts.

{mosads}Democratic respondents were more supportive of schools teaching climate change, with 81 percent saying climate change and its impacts should be taught, according to the poll. Ten percent said climate change but not its impacts should be taught.

Teaching climate change in school is also popular among teachers, with the poll finding that 86 percent of teachers surveyed said the subject should be taught — including 74 percent who said the impacts should also be taught.

Of those teachers surveyed, almost a third (29 percent) said they worry about parent complaints when it comes to teaching climate change.

Overall, more than 80 percent of those polled said they thought the subject should be taught.

The poll’s results are based on interviews with 1,007 adults and 505 teachers conducted between March 21-29. The poll’s margin of error is 3.5 percentage points.