Democrats have been pushing to increase “literacy” regarding climate change-related materials in American schools, yet students' actual literacy performance is poor.
Party Education Platform “Climate literacy” has been submitted to elementary, middle, and high school students in the United States on multiple occasions, emphasizing the need for students to be able to understand and interpret information about climate change. Meanwhile, the average reading proficiency of fourth- and eighth-graders in 2022 dropped by three points compared to 2019. According to Aligned with the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
“We will equip students with the knowledge and skills to understand complex scientific issues, counter growing denialism by promoting environmental and climate literacy, and reverse the Trump Administration's cuts to the National Environmental Education Act,” the platform states. (Related article: Polls show even Democrats don't support promoting gender ideology in schools)
Despite hundreds of billions of dollars in pandemic aid for education, student test scores continue to plummet.https://t.co/ouLox3xLDN
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According to NAEP, less than 50% of fourth graders will meet or exceed the reading standards in 2022, with only 17% of Black students and 21% of Latino students meeting the standards.
In the United States, “a shocking number of children, particularly children of color and low-income children, lack basic literacy skills,” said Alison Sokol, vice president of policy, practice and research at the Education Trust. Written Earlier this year.
NAEP data “consistently” show that two in three American students cannot read proficiently and that about 40 percent of all students are effectively illiterate. According to According to an analysis published in September 2023 by Scientific American magazine.
Notably, the Democratic Party platform mentions “climate literacy” twice, while it mentions traditional literacy only once. “Writing” or any of its synonyms never appear in the platform.
The emphasis on “climate literacy” dovetails with Democrats' broader efforts to make education more climate-friendly, even as many American students struggle in the classroom.
For example, the Biden-Harris administration would recycle existing school buses. Electrical Model To reduce emissions and fight climate change, Vice President Kamala Harris Promoted While the program claims to benefit students, it ultimately lines the pockets of Chinese manufacturers and could be vulnerable to waste, fraud, and abuse, according to reports from the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Inspector General.
In June, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), a labor union closely allied to Democrats, released a list of climate-related demands as part of contract negotiations with the city, despite poor educational achievement statistics for Chicago schools. According to Submitted to the Illinois Policy Institute, CTU's demands included removing all lead pipes in school buildings, replacing windows that don't open, and creating “climate champion” positions in each school to organize climate-related activities.
In 2022, Democratic Washington Gov. Jay Inslee's Department of Health unveiled a five-part climate curriculum for students, suggesting that students might be best served by relying on “emotions” rather than “rational thinking” when tackling climate change-related topics.
Moreover, pandemic-era school closures — policies widely promoted by Democrats at the time — have also led to significant learning loss that continues to disrupt educational outcomes, The New York Times reported. Found In March.
Representatives for the Democratic National Committee did not respond to requests for comment.
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