Teachers can help make the change

We all believe that LA’s kids should have 21st century education, which requires a lot of critical thinking about climate solutions and about Equity.

Educators in the US have not included climate education—mostly because they do not see it as part of their subject matter and they feel unprepared to teach it. Since the mobilizations of 2020, equity education is being advanced, but still must improve. It is totally understandable that teachers hesitate to include these twin subjects given the scope, complexity and emotional impacts of climate and justice. Worse yet, some special interests have politicized both science and historical realities. This political atmosphere complicates curricular planning by school district authorities.
Time to teach all kids, no matter what their zip code. They need the scientific and historical facts in depth so they understand their community’s environment, and will be prepared to plan for their futures, specifically future forms of work. And where people disagree about solutions, cultural attitudes, and historical reasoning, our students need to be taught the skills to research, discuss, deliberate, and act civically about them.
Teachers can do this! We see our students’ bright minds and we teach them critical thinking skills. Of course, we need the latest information and thinking across subject matters about both equity and climate. We need time and resources from the District to bring ourselves up to date on both equity and climate as research advances, on proposed solutions, local issues and resources, as well as the many, rapidly developing climate curricula in many subjects beyond science. We can give our students a 21st century education, so they can develop understanding and skills in the midst of challenges.