Push to teach "other side of global warming" heats up in Colorado's Mesa County (Blog #5)

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_15161879

I was surprised that the local school board is contemplating a change in curriculum that will promote global warming as a natural phenomenon ONLY and not a problem that is influenced by humans. While in libraries it is important to have materials representing both sides, a science teacher has to teach SCIENCE, and it is currently accepted by the majority of the scientific community that global warming is impacted by humans. I think it is okay for teachers to mention that there are people that do not believe that and that each student has the right to have their own opinion. The student that had the dilemma during the test was not being questioned about his belief, but rather about what scientists have stated as fact due to evidence that supports their claim. When a student tells me that they don't believe in something that I am teaching, I tell them that is fine, but they still are required to meet the learning objectives of the state curriculum.
In some school districts, it has been proposed that the teaching of Intelligent Design is a “middle of the road” theory that supports both creationism and evolution. Some teachers also push the idea that global warming and evolution are JUST theories. I think both of these approaches will give kids the wrong idea about science. Intelligent Design is just a way to introduce religion into the public classroom, and downplaying the scientific research and evidence that go into developing a theory discredits the scientists and their hard work.
Trying to change the curriculum to follow a specific political agenda is a form of censorship. I worry that Colorado and Texas could be creating huge problems if their students are not taught what other public school children know.