Climate change is a very tricky subject and is one that many people have different opinions about. However, Stanford research has done some studying on the textbooks used by middle schoolers in California and many members have stated that they are interpreting climate change as much weaker than it actually is.
HOW THESE BOOKS ARE IDENTIFYING CLIMATE CHANGE
The Stanford research team wrote a paper about this problem and one of their biggest problems was that the textbooks used by the middle school students in California were reflecting the topic of climate change as a public debate rather than a scientific reality. K.C. Busch, a doctoral candidate in science education from Stanford, stated that the textbooks used poor language choices and that the text portrayed the problem wrongly. She mentioned how the text books are portraying questions such as: is climate change actually happening, are humans causing it, and what the effects will be? The paper published went on to point out the kinds of words the text books were using that should have been different. The textbooks used words such as could, might, or may and those words all emphasize possibility. This is the Stanford researchers team biggest issue with these textbooks and the reason they believe California students may be being taught wrong about climate change.
IS STANFORD OR CALIFORNIA RIGHT ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE?
There is always two sides to every story and this story is certainly no different. As mentioned earlier, the subject of climate change is going to be one that gets multiple perspectives and opinions. It is a very sensitive subject to most people, while other people could not care less. It is difficult to pick a side, but the Stanford research team is most likely filled with the best of the best when it comes to science. Stanford is a very illustrious university and they know what they are talking about. However, whether there right about this idea of California schools teaching their kids wrong is debatable. Either way, the question that the Stanford researcher team developed about the way climate change is being portrayed in California schools is one that should be thought of with great thought.
