This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As you consider curriculum guidelines for Utah schools regarding climate science, please craft guidelines that encourage teachers to present the most current, scientific-fact based information available, challenging students to discuss and evaluate possible courses of action based upon those facts.
Decades ago, tobacco companies spent millions of dollars on paid "experts" and media propaganda to discredit science and preserve their profitability. It took years for the "smoke to clear," finally allowing public understanding of tobacco's toxic effects. Meanwhile, millions delayed quitting, shortening their lives and costing billions in unnecessary health care.
Today, the overwhelming consensus of climate science is that rapid climate change is happening, is human-caused and will cost our children far more economically, and in health and life quality, than smoking cost our parents. However, oil and coal interests are waging similar propaganda campaigns to discredit science and paying millions to stall regulatory action to reduce carbon emissions.
It is essential that we all, but especially our children, have the most accurate information possible to guide understanding of the world they will soon inherit. Please write guidelines that prevent outside influences and ideology from distorting their education.
Steve Lewis
Park City