facebook-pixel

Letter: Class discussions aside, I'll keep teaching science as scientists do

(Branden Camp | The Associated Press) In this June 3, 2017 file photo, the coal-fired Plant Scherer, one of the nation's top carbon dioxide emitters, stands in the distance in Juliette, Ga. Technology now in limited use removes about 90 percent of carbon dioxide from the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants, but energy experts say cost remains the chief obstacle to bringing the “clean coal” touted by President Donald Trump into the mainstream.

I read the Tribune editorial, “Teaching science,” about the debate at the Utah Board of Education on “hot button issues” like evolution and climate change. Fortunately, for me, this isn’t a hot button issue in my science classroom. I teach at a Catholic high school in Utah where I am encouraged by my administration to follow the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSSs) that were developed in partnership with 26 states, and groups like the National Academy of Sciences.

Utah Board of Education member Lisa Cummins suggested when it comes to evolution and climate change we could just teach “the theory” and “let both sides of the argument come out — whether it’s an intelligent design or the Darwin origin.” Fine with me to have both sides “come out” in class discussions; they are a part of our current culture and we can’t ignore them. But when it comes to actually teaching topics like climate change, I will be instructing students on how to look at the most current scientific data and draw conclusions based on this evidence only. That’s what scientists do.

Greg Alex, Draper