Utah's State Education Board Narrowly Voted To Keep Climate Change As A Part Of Its Science Curriculum

Hold on to your seatbelts, folks, because I've got a tale that'll tickle your funny bone and make you question the sanity of some people. So, picture this: the Utah State Board of Education recently had a showdown that would rival the Wild West, all over the topic of climate change in grade school curriculum. Yeehaw! In an epic battle of wits, the board voted 8-7 in favor of keeping climate change in the science curriculum. Now, you might think, "One vote? That's closer than a herd of cattle on a narrow bridge!" And you're absolutely right! It was like a rollercoaster ride with the fate of our tiny scholars hanging in the balance. The meeting itself could have given the Lord of the Rings trilogy a run for its money, lasting a whopping 14 hours. Fourteen hours! That's longer than a possum playing dead! These folks were more dedicated than a cowpoke searching for a lost horseshoe in the vast desert. But the drama didn't end there, my friends. Oh no! The board decided to kick some serious dust in the faces of proposed amendments. One audacious amendment suggested removing climate change from the curriculum. Can you imagine? It's like trying to remove tumbleweeds from the Wild West. Some things just belong! And if that wasn't wild enough for you, there was another amendment that tried to slip in an alternative theory about rock formation straight out of The Bible's Great Flood story. It's as if they wanted to turn the classroom into an Indiana Jones adventure! Now, let's take a ride on the crazy train across the United States. Ohio, Alabama, and Indiana have all been flirting with the idea of forcing university professors to teach "both sides" of the climate change debate. I can just imagine the professors juggling their lesson plans like circus performers trying to balance a dozen plates on their noses. It's enough to make you wonder if they'll start teaching the "two sides" of gravity next. But wait, there's more! In 2019, Idaho had its own legislative rumble over whether to include climate change in academic standards. It was like watching cowboys lassoing tornadoes. Who knew education could be so thrilling? Now, let's fast forward to New Jersey, where they boldly proclaimed themselves pioneers of reason. They became the first state to require climate change to be included in public school curriculums. Talk about a breath of fresh air! Maybe they've been drinking some enlightened water over there. Meanwhile, back in Utah, the proposed amendment to remove the term "climate change" was met with resistance. The board's vice chair, Jennie Earl, rallied the troops, calling for a "no" vote and advocating for amendments. It was like a battle cry, a plea for common sense amidst the chaos. But in rode Brent Strate, the hero of the moment, who swooped in and defended the current standards like a knight in shining armor. He stood his ground, refusing to consider any amendment that wasn't absolutely better. It's like he was guarding a treasure chest of knowledge, determined not to let any fool's gold slip through. So there you have it, folks: a wild, hilarious, and slightly bewildering tale of a boardroom clash over the inclusion of climate change in grade school curriculum. It's a reminder that education can be as tumultuous as a rodeo, where different ideas buck and kick against each other. But hey, at least it keeps things interesting, right? Now, who's up for a round of "Curriculum Showdown"? Giddy up!