Thousands of Oklahoma parents, students, teachers, scientists urge Oklahoma legislature to reject “science miseducation” bill

Thousands of Oklahoma parents, students, teachers, scientists urge Oklahoma legislature to reject “science miseducation” bill

Serious process concerns given that the House Common Education Committee declined to hear the bill, and it is being rushed through a non-education committee before the bill deadline

Oklahoma City, OK -- More than 2150 Oklahoma parents, teachers, students, scientists and other education supporters have signed a petition urging the Oklahoma legislature to reject a “science miseducation” bill, SB 393. SB 393 would allow the teaching of non-scientific opinions on climate change and other topics in Oklahoma science classrooms, with local or state administrators unable to intervene.

SB 393 passed the Oklahoma Senate on March 22. The House Common Education Committee declined to consider the bill by the deadline. It is now being rushed through the General Government Oversight committee that has no education expertise. The petition signers were Oklahoman members of CREDO Action and Climate Parents.. Links to the petitions: Climate Parents petition,  CREDO petition

A host of education and scientific organizations are joining parents, students and teachers in opposing SB 393, including the Oklahoma Science Teachers Association, Oklahoma State School Boards Association, Oklahoma Academy of Science, Oklahomans for Excellence in Science Education, National Council Against Censorship, National Association of Biology Teachers, National Association of Geoscience Teachers, National Science Teachers Association, National Center for Science Education, American Institute of Biological Sciences, and American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The National Science Teachers Association’s letter against SB 393 says, “as science teachers, it is our responsibility to provide students with quality science education that is not compromised with pseudoscience or by political influences.”  The National Association of Biology Teachers says, “the legislation (SB 393) easily allows non-scientific and false explanations for scientific topics to be inappropriately introduced into the science classroom."

"Parents want our kids to be innovators and problems solvers, and evidence-based science education is an essential prerequisite," said Lisa Hoyos, Director of Climate Parents. "Oklahoma parents oppose SB 393 because it subverts science education, and short-changes students. We urge legislators to stand up for students, and their right to science education free of political interference, by rejecting this misguided ‘science miseducation’ bill.”

NCSE's deputy director Glenn Branch added, "Oklahoma's science teachers have repeatedly said that SB 393 is unnecessary -- and worse than unnecessary, because it would undermine the integrity of science education there. Why support a bill when the people who are supposed to benefit from it oppose it?"

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