Nearly 100% of climate scientists report that climate change is happening and happening because of human activity, but the public consensus on climate change is still split about 50-50. Denial continues to be persistant and pervasive, as deniers cite "zombie sceptic theories" which prop up the fossil fuel industry. Last May, with the support of over 30 community organizations, the Portland Public School Board unanimously passed a groundbreaking resolution for addressing the issues of climate change and climate justice in the classroom. Texts casting doubt on the “severity of the climate crisis or its root in human activities” were to be abandoned. Three members from Educating for Climate Justice (ECJ), Gaby Lemieux, Tim Swinehart, and Sheila Golden, will talk about the resolution, and discuss their collaboration with the school system in creating a plan to bring climate literacy to Portland’s students.
Gaby Lemieux is a student and activist at Lincoln High School. Tim Swinehart teaches social studies at Lincoln, writes for Rethinking Schools, and is co-author of A People’s Curriculum for the Earth. Shiela Golden is an activist with 350pdx. Attributions for graph of global temperature change over time
- KBOO