NY students would be forced to learn about climate change under proposed bill - 13WHAM-TV

NY students would be forced to learn about climate change under proposed bill

ALBANY, N.Y. (CITC) — Proposed legislation in New York State would require all K-12 public school students to receive instruction on climate change.

The bill, dubbed A00851, was introduced by Asm. Linda Rosenthal, D-Manhattan, in January 2023. It currently sits with the New York State Assembly's education committee after stalling during last year's session.

If made law, the state's education commissioner would create "comprehensive and accurate climate change and sustainability curriculum" for all schools, according to the legislation. Students in kindergarten through twelfth grade would be taught the materials.

The curriculum would include, among other things, "instruction on how human activities cause climate change" and "the dangers associated with climate change," according to the bill's text. Individual school boards may propose their own curriculums, but the proposals must "substantially comply" with the state's version in order to be approved.

Crisis in the Classroom (CITC) has reached out to Asm. Rosenthal's office to learn whether a committee hearing has been scheduled for the bill, but has not heard back.

READ MORE | Washington school boards blast bill forcing districts to teach 'inclusive' history lessons

Asm. Rosenthal's legislation aligns with efforts taken in other states. In 2020, New Jersey became the first state to adopt standards requiring climate change be taught both to all grade levels and in nearly all subjects. The latter condition sparked debate in October when the New Jersey State Board of Education attempted to pass new math and ELA learning standards.

Andrew Mulvihill, the vice president of the board, argued the condition was allowing politics to seep "into the state board's business."
I don’t think we should be teaching subjects that have nothing to do with math and English in math and English," Mulvihill said at the time. "This idea of teaching climate change in every class, in every subject matter, it kind of smells of indoctrination.”

However, other board members disagreed, claiming the standards give educators a "meaningful" way to teach.

READ MORE | Public school students would get credit for religious courses under Nebraska bill

"You need to have some kind of an example so students can feel like 'I'm learning something, I'm doing something,'" Elaine Bobrove said. "That there is a meaning, that it's not just numbers, it's not just sounds of words."

Connecticut is currently the only other state that mandates climate change instruction. An Oregon bill looking to require school districts to establish their own climate change instructional programs failed last year despite strong student support.

Have something for the Crisis in the Classroom team to investigate? Call or text the national tip line at 202-417-7273.