South Dakota: Schools Should Teach Global Warming In 'Astrological' Terms

Treehugger:

In South Dakota, the state legislators have passed a resolution the "urges" schools to stop teaching global climate change as hard science, and instead pair it with "astrological" and "cosmological" theories--much like the way creationists insist evolution is taught alongside biblical interpretations.

Read the whole story: Treehugger

Comments

[FranklinCat]

11:07 PM on 02/28/2010

I especially like the ending: "and to the prevailing classroom circumstances."

[roseau]

08:50 PM on 02/28/2010

Really, if the school taught the children some basic science skills, then they could just let them decide for themselves. In fact, if anyone here who thinks that climate change is a hoax had a basic understanding of science, they could decide for themselves rather than spouting talking points. But that's not what our educational system is supposed to do anymore. It's just fighting for the right to indoctrinate the next generation. Go for it, keep the hearts and minds of these kids - they're going to be useless anyway. No child being 'educated' in such a system will ever be fit for a real job anyway. An inability to process basic factual information is sort of a pre-requisite for employment. South Dakota just wants to create another generation of people who live off the government and spend their days going to tea party demonstrations to protest the government.

[iKillGiraFFes]

12:32 AM on 03/01/2010

According to Al Gore when an ice cube melts in a cup of water, the water level will rise. Seems to the there is an ignorance regarding some fundamental laws of science among the believers of AGW.

[democratbob]

07:39 AM on 03/01/2010

It seems obvious that you have neither watched nor read An Inconvenient Truth. I have done both and I know what Al Gore actually said in both. What he actually said was that when an ice cube melts in a glass of water the water level does not rise. The problem here is that it is not just ice on the ocean that is melting. The icecap in Greenland, for example (where I live) is melting at a greatly accelerated pace, and because it is land-based ice, it is adding to the ocean level. Before you decide to try to quote other people, you ought to at least find out what they actually have said--rather than apparently listening to other sources that misquote--in order to get the quote right.

[pricespector]

05:58 PM on 02/28/2010

"(1) That global warming is a scientific theory rather than a proven fact;
(2) That there are a variety of climatological, meteorological, astrological, thermological, cosmological, and ecological dynamics that can effect [sic] world weather phenomena and that the significance and interrelativity of these factors is largely speculative; and
(3) That the debate on global warming has subsumed political and philosophical viewpoints which have complicated and prejudiced the scientific investigation of global warming phenomena; and"

Pretty much sums it up. It also shows a degree of critical thinking and fairness in our education system.

[quillsinister]

07:47 PM on 03/01/2010

It shows an ignorance of the meaning of the word "theory."

[JamesSB]

09:02 PM on 03/01/2010

1) Gravity is a scientific theory rather than a proven fact;
Projectile motion is a scientific theory rather than a proven fact;
etc....
2) effect vs affect
3) "prejudiced the scientific investigation of global warming phenomena"
no basis for such an assertion. Scientist collect data, analyze the data, and then formulate the theory.

[SouthJerseySteve]

03:51 PM on 02/28/2010

Comments like those in South Dakota would make West Virginians very smart!

[KIVPossum]

09:44 AM on 03/02/2010

Comments such as this show the intelligence of south Jersey

[WonderfulLife]

02:21 PM on 02/28/2010

Having been born and raised in SoDak, and still having many relatives that still live there-this news doesn't surprise me at all.
So. Dak has become an embarrassment to this nation. First their legislators fought to take away a woman's right to abortions and now they don't believe in global warming. Probably at least half of the people who live there have never left the towns they grew up in and as a result have developed a very limited mindset about the world. I am always shocked at comments I still hear about different races (comments belonging more to the 1940's). The world has changed all around them-but So. Dak chooses to remain ignorant and trapped in a time warp of the 1950's.

[charles77]

01:11 PM on 02/28/2010

Both side are guilty of using Science only when it suits them..

Dr. Chu, Obama's Energy Dept. Head is telling us it is NOT “Coal” or “wind and solar”, it’s Coal or Nuclear, Solar and wind can only be 20-25% without storage, and cost 5 times more than coal or nuclear.

Dr Chu, Obama’s Energy Czar, said “the new generation of nuclear reactors will be significantly safer than those built during the 1970s because of improvements in technology. This time around, the industry and regulators have streamlined licensing and are planning to use a standard design.”
And unlike Al Gore, Dr Chu is a PhD in PHYSICS and a Nobel Prize winner in PHYSICS, Google Dr. Chu’s many interviews.

Suddenly many in the Al Gore camp yell don't listen to science, nuclear is evil!

[DocSkull]

05:22 PM on 02/28/2010

Who is on what side? When did Gore say nuclear energy is evil?

In 2006 Gore said "I am not opposed to nuclear power" but had some concerns with it. That is a long, long way from thinking something evil.

http://thinkprogress.org/gore-nyu/

[NoProblemPablo]

12:17 PM on 02/28/2010

Maybe the reason the USA sucks at science is because the USA sucks at science.

[iKillGiraFFes]

12:35 AM on 03/01/2010

But, the USA does not suck at science compared to the rest of the world.

[KIVPossum]

09:46 AM on 03/02/2010

Then it's improved. As 0f 2007 the US ranked 23rd out of 30 western nations in science

[TQQ]

12:16 PM on 02/28/2010

Kudos to this South Dakota school district for doing the right thing.

[alteredstory]

10:34 AM on 02/28/2010

See? See? There's PROOF that global warming isn't real! Mars is rising in Aquarius!

Also, as far as I can tell, what they mean by the word "thermological" is that it's getting warmer because it's getting warmer. Tautology club anyone?

[quillsinister]

01:13 PM on 02/28/2010

The first rule of tautology club is the first rule of tautology club. :-D

[tmf945]

05:34 AM on 02/28/2010

When did people who sit behind microphones and elected officials become climate experts?

[DemoGoddes]

01:12 AM on 02/28/2010

Seems to me, the fellas that wrote this law could use a bit more book-learnin' before they try writing any more laws. They don't know science from entertainment.

[ParacelsusTheophrastus]

12:06 AM on 02/28/2010

Retrograde motion.

[CPAwADD]

11:08 AM on 02/28/2010

Clever LOL!

[TrueBlue1112]

08:23 PM on 02/27/2010

And so the dumbing down of America marches on...

[gnomic]

07:52 PM on 02/27/2010

And south Dakota laps Kansas in stoooopid. Hire the mentally handicapped, don't elect them.

[LCDTV]

06:57 PM on 02/27/2010

rethugs dumbing down america.