The announcement that Michael Gove wants to remove teaching about climate change from the curriculum of under 14 year olds has been met with equal amounts of disbelief and anger from many quarters. A national campaign got Mary Seacole and Ouladah Equianno retained in the history curriculum - we must now act on geography.People and Planet has set up an on-line e-action page HERE and I reproduce their statement below:
In 2011, in response to a proposal to drop climate change from the national science curriculum, People & Planet's petition to the Department for Education was the largest email campaign received by the department that year. But new proposals now threaten to remove climate change from the geography curriculum.
At People & Planet, our experience working in schools and colleges has shown us that teaching about climate change is crucial to ensuring a new generation of young people who understand and are able to be leaders on climate change, taking action to protect the environment and human life.
Prof. Sir David King, the government’s former science adviser, says:
“It would be absurd if the issues around environmental pollution weren’t core to the curriculum. I think we would be abdicating our duty to future generations if we didn’t teach these things in the curriculum.”Adapt the letter to Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, and Ed Davey, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which is HERE and say what you think of these new guidelines removing climate change from the national geography curriculum.
Please adapt the suggested text and subject line below, and remember to:
- let them know if you are a student, teacher, parent - or just concerned
- tell them how important your own knowledge and understanding of climate change has been to you
- be polite!