http://www.earthday.org/blog/2012/04/16/historic-summit-amid-historic-cuts
Earth Day (April 22) is just around
the corner and even the White House is getting the vibe. On April 16, 2012, the White House hosted the
first ever summit on environmental education.
Amidst the ongoing struggle to create a more environmentally-friendly
society, the summit largely discussed environmental education through “Green
Ribbon Schools”. Green Ribbon Schools
will be recognized nationwide as ones that foster environmental literacy
amongst its students and partake in environmentally friendly practices. Although the program is just getting started,
it sets a milestone as we prepare and educate our next generation for a world
that direly needs environmentally-conscious citizens. Despite this promising government initiative,
don’t be fooled into thinking it has completely heightened its environmental
agenda. In fact, a few days before this
environmental education summit, the Obama administration proposed the
elimination of about $40 million in funding from environmental education
initiatives started by the Environmental Protection Agency, the National
Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, and the Bay-Watershed Education Training
initiative. Amongst many criticisms,
especially by Education Secretary Arne Duncan who is thoroughly dissatisfied
with the environmental education American schoolchildren are normally provided,
the Obama administration’s proposal seems counter-intuitive. It gets one to think – maybe the
environmental education summit was simply a show to display the administration’s
phony dedication to environmental education.
Either way, of grander issue here
is whether or not America’s future is prepared for a world that is only growing
with environmental concerns. Students in
elementary schools are growing up in an age of climate change, endangered
species and habitats, air and water pollution, and the list goes on. The concerns that may not be so important for
our generation are higher for the new generations. And because humans are largely responsible
for many of our environmental concerns, environmental education at a young age
is extremely important. How do you think
environmental education is currently doing in American schools? Do you have any younger brothers, sisters, or
friends that can speak of its productivity or lack thereof?
I wholeheartedly agree with Ofuga and the author of the article that cuts to education are a step backwards. An environmentally friendly consciousness is slowly becoming mainstream, as evidenced by the large number of green marketing campaigns. However, in order to truly educate Americans (not just incline them to buy products with the word “natural” or “environment” on them) a system must be in place in the schools. In my schooling I don’t recall any specific environmental curriculum other than in biology class and an annual tree planting on Arbor Day.
ReplyDeleteThis plan to cut environmental education funding seems to be at odds with other Obama initiatives. Obama has allocated funds to promote “environmental literacy,” which as far I can tell seems to be education combined with critical thinking. Environmental education is probably a use of funding that sounds good to everyone (so it wouldn’t be very popular to cut it) but on the other hand, there isn’t one group that is obviously being wronged. Thus, there is a lesser chance of an organized backlash against these cuts. It is difficult to discern if these budget cuts will have a significant effect on the environmental education of school kids; hopefully, for the future of the plant, they are being taught to be aware of the environment and their impact on it.