Jessica Taylor, center, a junior at Lake City High School listens to instruction during AP Environmental Science class at the school in Coeur d'Alene on Thursday. Idaho lawmakers just voted to remove five science standards dealing with climate change from state education standards. (Kathy Plonka/SR)

The 2014 Idaho teacher of the year is worried.

“Long term it sets us back decades, in my opinion, in teaching students 21st (century) science,” said Jamie Esler, a science teacher at Lake City High School.

Esler is talking about the decision by Idaho lawmakers to remove five sections dealing with climate change in the state science standards earlier this week. The removal of the standards means Idaho science teachers no longer have to teach those topics, said Coeur d’Alene School District Superintendent Matthew Handelman.

Instead, what is or what isn’t taught about climate change in Idaho schools will be left to individual districts and their school boards/Eli Francovich, SR. More here.

 

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