Photo by Zack Spear on Unsplash.
Oregon's Senate Bill 854 (PDF) would, if enacted, require local school districts to establish, and periodically update, a climate change instructional program for K-12 students. The state department of education would be required to approve each district's program and also to develop a model plan to provide guidance for districts in developing such programs.
Programs would be required to address thirteen specific areas, including increasing "understanding about the scientific causes of and the ways to prepare for and reduce the effects of climate change" and facilitating "discussion about the economic and political factors contributing to climate change."
The bill was introduced by James I. Manning Jr. (D-District 7) and Deb Patterson (D-District 10) at the request of Oregon Educators for Climate Education, which describes itself as "a statewide group of educators working toward Oregon legislation that would integrate and infuse PK-12 climate change education across all core subject areas."
