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Citizen response to attacks on science education

Citizen response to attacks on science education. or… Help, there’s science denial in my schools!. Josh Rosenau National Center for Science Education. Bad legislation, 2009-2013. Control of education. Federal government. State legislature. State board of ed./ standards. Local school

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Citizen response to attacks on science education

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  1. Citizen response to attacks on science education or… Help, there’s science denial in my schools! • Josh Rosenau • National Center for • Science Education

  2. Bad legislation, 2009-2013

  3. Control ofeducation Federal government State legislature State board of ed./ standards Local school board Teacher Influence

  4. 17,000 school districts

  5. 1 in 8 HS science teachers promote creationism

  6. Denialist mailing reported

  7. Likelihood the community minds Likelihood of a problem Someone calls

  8. Case study 1: Statewide textbooks • 15 elected members approve textbooks for use statewide. The books submitted are fine. • 6 committed votes for creationist changes • 6 committed votes against • 3 unsure • You are represented by a swing vote. • What can you and your neighbors do to influence your board member?

  9. Case study 2: Climate denial video • Friend mentions her kid’s 8th grade science teacher showed “Unstoppable Solar Cycles” • Movie misrepresents science, scientists • Claims sun, not humanity, drives climate change • Was mailed to teachers by advocacy group • You don’t have kids in the schools. • What can you do to help your friend and stop kids from being misinformed?

  10. Recon Contact NCSE Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

  11. Set clear goals • What will winning mean ideally? • What is the worst you’d accept? • What is the core principle? • Is there a longer-term goal? • What is the timeline? • Who can enact the change?

  12. Decision makers • Individuals, not institutions • What are their limits? • Where and when do they act? • What do they want? • Who do they trust or listen to? • (Who do they mistrust?)

  13. Strength in numbers • What do they want? • Who do they trust or listen to? • (Who do they mistrust?)

  14. If you're in a coalition and you're comfortable, you know it's not a broad enough coalition.–Bernice Johnson Reagon

  15. Who should you recruit?

  16. Choose leaders wisely

  17. Plan a strategy Based on the Midwest Academy’s “Strategy Chart”

  18. Start quietly, nicely You can always escalate, but it’s hard to ramp down

  19. How scientists think they win

  20. While creationists…

  21. TERRORISM GENETIC ENGINEERING MOM/CHILD LIB HOMOSEX HARD ROCK ALCOHOL

  22. Science denial is wrong

  23. Science denial is harmful

  24. Science denial is not irrational

  25. Science denial is driven by personal identity and deep, real, important concerns

  26. Audience Research Selected Findings • Strongest messages in both rounds of research • Invoke the role of evolution in making advances in medicine and curing diseases • The compatibility of religious faith and acceptance of evolution • One’s personal religious viewpoints should not be imposed on public school students A key framing point Science class should help students to understand how science works and how scientists do their jobs. Evolution is a core scientific principle that is foundational to many areas of science and helps scientists make technological developments, like curing disease.

  27. Shared valuesShared cultural background

  28. Be personal

  29. Plan for tomorrow

  30. Board of ed strategy Based on the Midwest Academy’s “Strategy Chart”

  31. http://ncse.com http://facebook.com/evolution.ncse http://twitter.com/ncse

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