OPINION:
The effort of the National Center for Science Education to teach “climate change” in the classroom would not be so odious if it were taught in some Advanced Placement high school political science course (“Scientists want climate change in young minds,” Page 1, Monday). At least then the students would know the true nature of the subject matter being taught.
Alas, that is not the case. What we have here is a cover-up and, worse, one more attempt to destroy science and mathematics education.
Have you ever taken a look at a college-level text on atmospheric science? What you will find is a heavy dose of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, differential equations, Newtonian mechanics, physical chemistry and, of course, mathematical statistics thrown in for good measure. In short, it is a really tough subject, and anyone who has not paid their dues in science is relegated to generating garbage.
What should be taught in high school - or even before - are the core concepts in physics and mathematics. I would hazard to guess that this is just what the National Center for Science Education is afraid of.
After all, if you really had mastered the basic science areas mentioned above, what would you think when The Washington Post claims the average temperature will increase 5 degrees in the next 100 years? The publication does not say where and does not provide any indicator of uncertainty.
The worst thing that could happen to the climate-change movement is for real science education to take hold in our schools.
SAMUEL BURKEEN
Reston
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