Sixty-first General Assembly
LLS NO. 980777.01D JAP
SENATE BILL 98181
STATE OF COLORADO
BY SENATORS Alexander, Arnold, Chlouber, Congrove, Dennis, Lamborn, Powers, Schroeder, and Wattenberg;
also REPRESENTATIVE Allen. REENGROSSED
EDUCATION
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING PRESENTATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced
and does not necessarily reflect any amendments that may be subsequently
adopted.)
Requires school districts, schools, and teachers
that provide instruction in environmental sciences or environmental
issues to ensure that such instruction provides objective coverage
of the current scientific and economic research on environmental
and ecological issues. In areas of controversy, requires the
school district, school, and teacher to stress individual analysis
of claims and evidence and critical analysis of proposed solutions.
In preparing curriculum for environmental topics and issues,
requires the school district, school, and teacher to seek countervailing
scientific and economic views on controversial issues.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. Article 1 of title 22, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION to read:
221109.5. Environmental education. (1) ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT, SCHOOL, AND TEACHER THAT PROVIDES INSTRUCTION IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE OR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES SHALL ENSURE THAT SUCH INSTRUCTION IS BASED ON BALANCED AND OBJECTIVE COVERAGE OF THE CURRENT SCIENTIFIC AND ECONOMIC RESEARCH. WHERE SCIENTIFIC AND ECONOMIC CONTROVERSIES EXIST, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, SCHOOL, AND TEACHER SHALL ENSURE THAT INSTRUCTION IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION STRESSES INDIVIDUAL ANALYSIS OF CLAIMS AND EVIDENCE AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF PROPOSED ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS. IN PREPARING CURRICULUM, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, SCHOOL, AND TEACHER SHALL SEEK COUNTERVAILING SCIENTIFIC AND ECONOMIC VIEWS ON CONTROVERSIAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
(2) FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "CURRENT SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH" MEANS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH THAT EITHER HAS BEEN UPDATED WITHIN THE PRECEDING FIVE YEARS OR HAS NOT BEEN SHOWN TO BE OUT OF DATE.
SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.