Are You Ready To March For Science?
This weekend, thousands of people from around the world will gather together to declare their support for science.
This landmark event comes one year after the inaugural March For Science, which was the single largest event in support of science in history. Science continues to be under attack, making the push for evidence-based policy critical to securing a just future.
Need a reminder of why fighting for science is more important now than ever before? We’ve got your covered. Here’s a list of just some of the anti-science policies and news stories that have occurred in the last year that you may have missed.
Climate Science in Danger
Weeks after his appointment, head of the EPA Scott Pruitt claimed that carbon dioxide isn’t necessarily a “primary contributor” to climate change. At the time of his appointment, many staffers worried that the former Oklahoma attorney general, who had repeatedly sued the agency in the past, would undermine their work. It turns out they were right.
If Pruitt goes, this notorious coal lobbyist is set to take his place. While Pruitt is considered a Washington outsider, Andrew Wheeler is known by many as “a low-key insider with years of Washington experience in the art of pursuing policy change while avoiding public distraction.”
The top science advisor for the EPA isn’t much better, as he has made questionable statements about pollution research. Michael Honeycutts’ position gives him potentially broad influence over how scientific data is incorporated into EPA policy, meaning these statements are incredibly telling about our possible future.
The Trump administration is seeking to cut 72 percent of the budget of Department of Energy programs related to energy efficiency and renewable energy. That’s a $575.5 million decrease.
The U.S. withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement. This not only lowered the national standard for fighting climate change, but the global standard as well.
Science Education on the Chopping Block
Evolution-doubting language remains in Texas’ textbooks. After a vote by the Texas State Board of Education, ninth grade biology textbooks will continue to feature language questioning proven science, despite massive teacher demand to make a change.
Idaho strips all mentions of human-caused climate change from statewide science education guidelines. While the rest of the science education standards were left intact, this move was one of part of a national wave of attempting to weaken or block new teaching standards that include information about climate science.
Any resident in Florida can now challenge what kids learn in public school science classes. The legislation, which was signed by Gov. Rick Scott (R) in July, requires school boards to hire an “unbiased hearing officer” who will handle complaints about instructional materials, such as movies, textbooks and novels, that are used in local schools. Any parent or county resident can file a complaint, regardless of whether they have a student in the school system.
The most common form of attack on science education has been “academic freedom” acts, which are designed to undermine the integrity of science education and since 2004 have been introduced more than 50 times in 20 states.
On a federal level, the Trump administration also released a budget that completely cut NASA’s science education program, which funds grants and scholarship programs for students. The budget also seeks to cancel several missions that help monitor and study the climate.
Public Health Pushed Aside
One of the scientists who exposed the Flint water crisis was almost stopped from testing water in South Carolina by the town’s mayor. Residents of Denmark, SC contacted professor Mark Edwards when they became concerned about the quality of their water. The mayor denied his request to research until significant public pressure prompted him to back down.
For more than two decades, Congress has failed to provide dedicated funding for gun violence research. This year, we highlighted the ways that this ban allows for violence to continue. Limiting our understanding of gun violence prevents us from enacting policies based on sound evidence that will protect our lives and communities.
The CDC is dramatically downsizing their epidemic prevention activities in 39 out of 49 countries. Four years after the United States pledged to help the world fight infectious-disease epidemics such as Ebola, U.S. government officials said money is running out.
The EPA lifted key controls on toxic air pollution. The agency said their reading of the Clean Air Act indicated that polluters can be held to a lower standard on substances like mercury and lead.
CDC officials flagged seven words and phrases not to be used in their budget documents. The list included diversity, entitlement, evidence-based, fetus, science-based, transgender, and vulnerable. After significant public outrage, the CDC said that there were no banned words in their office, but the individuals who came forward stood by their testimony.
