My daughter's science teacher doesn't believe in climate change.

[Anonymous]

As someone who does modeling and simulation for a living, I will tell you this:

Modeling and simulation is not science.

"Climate change" is based on modeling and simulation.

Thus, climate change is not science.

[Anonymous]

ok

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone who does modeling and simulation for a living, I will tell you this:

Modeling and simulation is not science.

"Climate change" is based on modeling and simulation.

Thus, climate change is not science.

Says the schmo who creates models and simulations for the American Petroleum Institute.

[Anonymous]

So what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As someone who does modeling and simulation for a living, I will tell you this:

Modeling and simulation is not science.

"Climate change" is based on modeling and simulation.

Thus, climate change is not science.

Not true. The science of climate change is based on measurement, from several centuries of data, including much more intensive measurements post 1970. We know from measurement how much and in what ways the climate has changed (a lot and escalating very quickly). This is basic science. So it's false to say climate change is not science: it's already been measured and verified.

We use modeling and simulation to predict future changes and assess the reliability of past simulations. Most past models/simulations have been too conservative when we compare them to actually measured climate changes. Any specific predicted model is just that: a prediction, but when the measures match it becomes verified. So specific predicted models of the impact of climate change are not "settled," but documented changes are settled and their to-date coherence with the most predominate models (but only worse) is also established.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He mentioned this as an offhandedl remark during a casual conversation with some students, he didn't announce it to the class during a lesson but still find it shocking. How would you react if your kid's science teacher didn't believe in climate change?

You are probably misunderstanding what she said.

Climate change is obvious -- it has been changing for millions of years.

What she may not buy is into the political paranoia that often surrounds the discussion about the problem and the solutions.

That teacher may well be much smarter than you give her credit for.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't like it, but as long as he teaches the curriculum and refrains from teaching his opinions on climate change, I would not complain.

[Anonymous]

Is this at CWES?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
You should report him to the Principal, and CC to the Superintendent and Board of Education. State that the amount of evidence on climate change has been overwhelming for many years, and that given the political climate, a teacher who tells his students, even privately, that climate change does not exist, should not be hired by a public school system which professes to teach real science.

Climate change is absolutely undeniable.

The human contribution to climate change has been hotly debated. Most agree that humans have contributed in a major way to our current rapid increase in temperature. There have also been times on earth when temperatures varied abruptly without human interference.

np. If it were as overwhelming and undeniable as you claim, people like you wouldn't be so eager and desperate to silence the voices and punish those who dare to question the orthodoxy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
You should report him to the Principal, and CC to the Superintendent and Board of Education. State that the amount of evidence on climate change has been overwhelming for many years, and that given the political climate, a teacher who tells his students, even privately, that climate change does not exist, should not be hired by a public school system which professes to teach real science.

Climate change is absolutely undeniable.

The human contribution to climate change has been hotly debated. Most agree that humans have contributed in a major way to our current rapid increase in temperature. There have also been times on earth when temperatures varied abruptly without human interference.

np. If it were as overwhelming and undeniable as you claim, people like you wouldn't be so eager and desperate to silence the voices and punish those who dare to question the orthodoxy.

+1.

PP above sounds like some kind of climate Nazi.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Science teachers also should not be talking about what they “believe in.” Climate change isn’t like God or Santa, where faith and belief matter. The teacher could say “I don’t think there is enough evidence of climate change to be certain it is happening.” Then you can talk about evidence. Belief has no role in science.

It's possible he said it along those lines. I'm getting my 13 year old's interpretation of this.

Wrong again. Climate change is happening, and no one but cranks are denying this. You are mistaking human contributions with actual climate change. The former is still debated, the latter not at all.

The human contribution should be LESS debatable. What happens when you burn hydrocarbons (i.e. produce CO2, also there is one other which I don't recall right now). We know how much is extracted and burned, so we know how much CO2 is released. We also know what the instruments on Mt. Kona have shown since the late 50s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what?

Right.

Report him to the principal etc. ???

This could have been the jumping off point to a great discussion but no, report the teacher.

[Anonymous]

Lots of science teachers believe in God, too, OP.

Are you going to report him for his belief? Or for what he TEACHES as part of the curriculum???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of science teachers believe in God, too, OP.

Are you going to report him for his belief? Or for what he TEACHES as part of the curriculum???

Shh. He must.be.reported.

Students can't hear something that might make them think unless it's in a textbook and parents agree with it..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of science teachers believe in God, too, OP.

Are you going to report him for his belief? Or for what he TEACHES as part of the curriculum???

Shh. He must.be.reported.

Students can't hear something that might make them think unless it's in a textbook and parents agree with it..

DP.. I believe in God, but my religious belief or anyone else's has no place in a public school science class, and neither does politics.

OP - I would email the teacher to get clarification.

"Dear Mr.xxxx , can you clarify something my DC told me the other day? DC told me that you stated that you didn't believe in climate change. I just want to make sure my DC isn't mis-representing what you stated".

If the teacher says that he doesn't believe in it, then I would talk to the Principal, and other parents. If the teacher provided scientific evidence of why climate change isn't real, then sure, kids should think about it, BUT, children are very impressionable, and most of them will believe what their teachers tell them.

Climate change, like evolution, is not an exact science, but there is ample evidence AND it is a well respected understanding in the scientific community. I would not want my child to not learn about common held understanding in the scientific community.