How do you rate the education our children are receiving on global warming?

Question

Are they being taught the facts as science now sees it?

Are they being taught the danger of dubious sources?

Are they more or less sceptical than previous generations?

Answer 1

If you find your child throwing liter out the door, then you question their global warming education.

Answer 2

they are not teaching you ignorant b*****d, they are BRAINWASHING WITH GLOBAL WARMING LIES!

Answer 3

i don't know what country you are from but in Australia global warming is taught facts. they do tend to avoid teaching anything that is controversial such as the effects of climate change but otherwise the education system is doing quite well on this subject.

Answer 4

In response to the previous poster.

The debate about whether we are causing global warming IS over -  the evidence is overwhelming. The only people who argue otherwise are people who have selfish, short term interests.

The scientific debate about global warming however, is not over. Science is one huge debate anyway, but now the debate is focuses on how much we are affecting climate change and what we can do to reduce the damage.

It seems that scientists have reached an incredibly strong consensus, yet politicians and oil companies still seem to have a bigger impact on the thoughts of many people. I guess it's a lot easier to write it off as scaremongering, but the question is: what do scientists have to gain? Nothing. What do oil companies have to gain? Everything. What do politicians have to gain? Short-term power.

Who would you believe?

Oh and by the way, does anyone else think that this is becoming a bit like the creationism vs evolution debate? That debate is over too.

Answer 5

They are being taught that there is this thing 'Global Warming', but v.few teachers know enough science to teach anything comprehensible about the extent of the evidence supporting it, the severity of its already measurable impacts or the political impediments to doing anything credible about it.

So no, they aren't taught all the facts and get no information exposing the junk science being pushed by 'sceptics'/dubious sources. They are more sceptical, just because science is a closed and uninteresting book to 90% of them.

Answer 6

Are they taught that science is constantly changing and sometimes wrong?  Are they taught that there are various opinions and ideas?  Are they taught both sides? Or are they taught that science is more than just an exploration, a seeking, a best guess with current data?

Since most teachers are too busy to keep on the data flow and look at many different sources.  They will teach the children what they think is true based on the sources they have.  That will be the consensus speak of the media.I do not really expect more from them because there are many topics.

I do expect more from "the debate is over" crowd since they are trying to shut up the debate.  I wonder how many of them are knowingly using that technique to foster something they know is not over for some agenda.  True scientists ALWAYS encourage debate, exploration, testing, verification, alternate views.  Look how much serious consideration the "multi-universe" concept gets.

Weathermen can't predict accurately the weather next week and yet somehow they know 25, 50 or 200 years from now? Definitely, the debate is over. It is won by shutting up scientific exploration, questioning, verification, experimentation, etc,etc.  I think science has lost regardless of whether AGW is true or not.

Answer 7

Thanks Jon B:

Unfortunately, TV represents the biggest educational influence on children and adults. The networks are incredibly fearful of stepping out of line for fear of losing any corporate sponsorship. Consequently, we get propaganda masquerading as news. They always seem to think that there are two sides of an issue even when the scientific experts are nearly in consensus.

Some schools are doing a better job, but that depends on the skill and intellect of the individual teacher.

We need leadership in Washington D.C. that recognizes the importance of this issue and a president who can educate the  population. Remember the FDR used fireside chats to help educate the population about world issues. We need a president who will take similar actions about environmental concerns. It would also be a good thing if they also enforced sound environmental standards instead of backing industry every time.