Michael Gove wants climate change off the curriculum

Margaret Hunter, a geography teacher and 38 Degrees member from Oxfordshire, has started a petition on Campaigns by You calling on the government to keep climate change in the national curriculum. Read Margaret’s message below and sign her petition.

‘The government are considering scrapping climate change teaching in schools.

As a Geography teacher, I know full well how important it is that we teach children about climate change. I never thought I’d see the day our government would consider allowing three quarters of children to leave school with no proper education about climate change. But that’s what they’re proposing now.

It’s not too late to persuade the government to change their minds on this. These plans aren’t set in stone yet – they’re still open as part of public consultation. Plus the government have been struggling in the polls recently and have one eye fixed firmly on the next election. A huge public outcry now will leave them in no doubt that this decision could cost them crucial votes in 2015.

Under the government’s new plans, children will not be taught about the impacts of climate change unless they study GCSE Geography – a course that was only taken by 27% of GCSE students last year.

I have been a Geography teacher for more than 25 years. During that time I have taught my pupils dozens of different topics, from map reading and geology to volcanoes and earthquakes.But nothing I’ve ever taught my students has been so important as what I teach them about climate change now. We can’t afford to lose that – and neither can they.

The challenges man-made climate change poses to human beings are huge. In my classes, children learn about these challenges and why they are relevant to them. They learn why it is adults tell them to recycle, switch off their computers and close doors to keep the heat in.

And the truth is, children love learning about climate change. At the same time, they are learning to respect the world around them and to value human life. These are values that many of them will carry with them for the rest of their lives. They are the best possible weapons we can give them to help prevent disastrous climate change in the future.

Together, we can show Michael Gove that his plans are wrong – for our children, our planet, and our future. Sign the petition now.

Thank you for standing up for our children’s education.’