Climate change education legislation in Virginia vetoed
Publisher: In-Sight Publishing
Publisher Founding: September 1, 2014
Publisher Location: Fort Langley, Township of Langley, British Columbia, Canada
Publication: Critical Science Newswire
Original Link: https://ncse.ngo/climate-change-education-legislation-virginia-vetoed
Publication Date: April 8, 2024
Organization: National Center for Science Education
Organization Description: The National Center for Science Education promotes and defends accurate and effective science education because everyone deserves to engage with the evidence. One day, students of all ages will be scientifically literate, teachers will be prepared and empowered to teach accurate science, and scientific thinking and decision-making will ensure that all life can thrive and overcome challenges to our shared future.
By Glenn Branch
Virginia’s House Bill 1088, which would require the state board of education to aid local school boards with instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy, was vetoed by Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) on April 2, 2024.
If the bill had been enacted, the board would have been required to “make available to each local school board instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy that are based on and include peer-reviewed scientific sources” and also to “develop, adopt, and make available to each local school board model policies and procedures … pertaining to the selection of instructional materials on climate change and environmental literacy.”
In his veto statement, Governor Youngkin wrote (PDF), “The Standards of Learning already provides [sic] instructional material related to environmental issues,” adding, “Additionally, school divisions [sic] must integrate these new resources into their curriculum outside the standard process, necessitating purchasing instructional material and reallocating instructional time without additional funding.”
However, Virginia’s state science standards received the grade of F in the 2020 study of the treatment of climate change in state science standards conducted by NCSE and the Texas Freedom Network Education Fund. And nothing in House Bill 1088 would have required school districts to adopt the instructional materials or the model policies and procedures provided by the state board of education.
Responding to Governor Youngkin’s statement, NCSE’s Glenn Branch told WVTF (April 4, 2024) that the bill was “not redundant … and it was something that was needed given the lackluster treatment of climate change in the state science standards.”
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