Surge of Protests Against PED’s Science Standard Changes
Momentum has been gathering against anti-science alterations proposed by New Mexico's Public Education Department. Here follows a compendium of related stories.
There will be a Public Hearing on October 16, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (MDT) at the Jerry Apodaca Education Building, 300 Don Gaspar Ave. in Santa Fe.
If you can't attend the hearing, consider sending a statements to PED, care of Jamie Gonzales, Policy Division, New Mexico Public Education Department, Room 101, 300 Don Gaspar Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, or by electronic mail at rule.feedback@state.nm.us, or by fax to (505) 827-6681. All written comments must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. (MDT) on the date of the public hearing. The PED encourages the early submission of written comments. The public comment period is from September 12, 2017 to October 16, 2017 at 5 p.m. (MDT).
61 Los Alamos Lab Fellows Speak Out Against Standards (10-09-17)
Albuquerque Journal, APS board committee to vote on science standards protest letter (10-09-17)
Santa Fe New Mexican, Modern life is a product of real science By Tom Ribe (10-07-17)
"Gov. Susana Martinez wants to mislead New Mexico's students about critical scientific facts, setting them up for a future of ignorance and confusion (“Inexact science?” Sept. 24). Her Public Education Department this month published public schools science curriculum standards that promote dishonest ideas pushed by the religious right and the oil industry. The consequences could be serious for our kids' job futures and for the economy of New Mexico."
Santa Fe New Mexican, Blinding N.M.'s students to real science sets off alarms By Beth Beloff (10-07-17)
"As Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson intones, disputing established scientific facts spells the end of our informed democracy. ... Why wouldn’t we want to teach our children these scientific truths?"
Los Alamos Daily Post, Rep. STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARD: Science Under Threat (10-08-17)
Las Cruces Sun News, LCPS chief criticizes proposed New Mexico science standards (10-06-17)
NCSE, Opposition to proposed standards solidifies in New Mexico (10-05-17)
Los Alamos Daily Post, School Board Talks Back To PED On Science Standards (10-03-17)
Science? Santa Fe New Mexican, "We’ll show you science" (10-03-17)
Santa Fe New Mexican "State provides no specifics on origins of science proposal"(10-03-17)
New Mexico Science Teachers' Associatio, detailed opposition to the proposed standards (10-03-17)
Albuquerque Journal, "Santa Fe board rejects PED's proposed science standards" (10-3-2017)
...the Santa Fe school board also endorsed a "teach-in" next week, a few days before the PED standards hearing. Board member Steven Carrillo said the idea is to present several science lessons to demonstrate to the PED that science matters. The teach-in is scheduled for 3:30 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 13 at the Jerry Apodaca Education Building, 300 Don Gaspar Ave.
Santa Fe New Mexican, "State provides no specifics on origins of science proposal" (10-3-2017)
Las Cruces Sun-News "Listen to scientists on state standards" (9-27-17)
We suggest that when it comes to academic standards, the PED should listen more to the scientists and less to the politicians.
Albuquerque Journal: Editorial: PED's science standards are patently unscientific (9-26-17)
Ruszkowski says his proposal gives New Mexico an opportunity to update its science curriculum in a way that reflects the “diversity of perspectives” in New Mexico. But a “diversity of perspectives” belongs in sociology or theology class – it runs counter to the scientific process that, through experimentation and verification, turns theory into accepted fact or fiction, not something in between.
Whether Ruszkowski is bowing to political pressure to water down the science curriculum that New Mexico teachers will deliver to students – or simply doesn’t believe in climate change, evolution or scientific dating processes – his recommendations are deeply troubling and take New Mexico in the wrong direction for education and the new economy.
Science education is essential to NM's future By Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich (9-26-17)
Censoring science in our schools will slow the growth of our businesses and dissuade future investment into New Mexico from those looking to relocate their business or company here.
Las Cruces Sun-News "Keep politics out of science classrooms" (9-24-17)
...removing a reference to the age of the Earth is as ridiculous as claiming the world is flat and potential professors will also laugh at us when we recruit them here.
Santa Fe New Mexican, SFPS science proficiency rates plunge as state pushes new standards (9-23-17)
Lisa Durkin, a high school science teacher in Los Lunas, said that if the education department does not create a strong plan to roll out the new standards, the transition could come off like “PARCC on steroids” — a reference to the difficulty many districts in New Mexico faced when adapting to new standardized, computer-based math and language arts exams several years ago.
Proposed changes to science ed raises concerns in Los Alamos(9-22-17)
National Science Teachers Association opposition to the changes to the NGSS in NM (09-22-17)
NEA-New Mexico Weighs In On New Mexico PED Proposed Science Education Standards (09-20-17)
Santa Fe New Mexican, Our View, Science standards fail students (9-20-17)
Shenanigans in New Mexico (9-19-17)
The state has said that the new standards are an attempt to include the diversity of New Mexico. Instead, these standards cater to a small slice of New Mexicans, people occupying a place where where dogma trumps science and believers want to impose their views on the rest of us. Such blatant pandering in no way prepares students for the challenges of the world.
Santa Fe Reporter, "The Same, but Different: New Mexico's new school science standards might leave out climate change, evolution" (9-19-17)
A hand-picked group of math and science experts said not to do it.
A focus group of 85 teachers, professors and school administrators, convened by former Education Secretary Hanna Skandera, said not to do it.
Christopher Ruszkowski wants to do it.
More than four years after a succession of professional groups began urging the state's Public Education Department to implement unmodified Next Generation Science Standards in New Mexico schools, Ruszkowski—the governor's pick to replace Skandera—is recommending new standards that change curriculum on human-caused climate change and evolution.
Santa Fe New Mexican, "SFPS board questions 'troubling' science curriculum proposal" (9-19-17)
KOB TV4, "Science teaching guidelines trigger criticism in New Mexico" (9-19-17)
New Mexico Deputy Secretary of School Transformation Debbie Montoya says her agency will listen and respond to input from all of New Mexico's stakeholders when writing content standards.
KRQE TV13, "Teachers oppose PED's proposed changes to how students learn science" (9-16-17)