Education is the first step to change. Without education, there is no awareness, and without awareness, there is no passion. If school is where passions are discovered and fostered, why not prioritize a class that introduces a universal topic that desperately needs our attention? Earth science is a semester-long class that fits that criteria, providing students with a baseline understanding of our planet and its coordinating systems. This class is crucial and a required credit for a reason, and it additionally cements a sense of belonging and duty on this planet as a member of our society. However, the initial, ignorant dismissal of Earth/environmental science classes by students has led to numerous cases of attempted credit replacement or cheating out based on opposing beliefs. Not only is this a detrimental decision for the student’s future, but for the future of mankind on this planet.
It may seem like a stretch that a high school student being excused from a semester-long course will have such a significant impact on the world, but one student taking this chance can only allow room for others to follow suit. Our school cannot be complicit in allowing young generations of students who will one day make crucial decisions for our planet not to understand concepts as simple as the formation of volcanoes, solely because they were not required to take a class that taught about tectonic plates. To put it plainly, it is dangerous not to provide and require students to be educated on Earth, the planet they are personally responsible for.
Without a solid understanding of how our world functions beyond economics and politics, there is no way to guarantee a secure future for these other facets of society even to exist. It should be the responsibility of older generations to provide accessible education on our planet to younger generations, because the youth will be dealing with the environmental consequences of the elders’ actions.
It has become a pattern at Howell High School for students to attempt to cheat out of the Earth science credit requirement based on religious opposition. However, Crystal Carder, an Earth science teacher at Howell, states that the class does not cover topics that would be considered controversial based on religion.
“I can understand if we talk a lot about the age of the Earth, or how the Earth was formed, but we don’t even talk about that in Earth Science, so to me, there is no religious exemption from our Earth Science. We talk about rocks, and then we talk about climate change,” Carder said.
At Howell High School, students learn according to the standards and requirements set by the state. The state of Michigan acknowledges that human actions contribute to an increase in carbon emissions, which leads to global warming, and our school will reflect that in the class curriculum. It is not a matter of a teacher’s opinion or bias, but rather a statewide education standard that aligns with modern science. In their own right, some students and parents hold differing beliefs regarding climate change and the current state of the world’s environment, but these beliefs should not hold them back from taking the required credits to graduate. For example, if a student’s parents do not believe in the moon landing, that would not excuse them from a history class. A science-based class should be held to the same standard.
As the class, in theory, sounds as if it would be politically swayed due to environmental discussions regarding climate change, that possibly puts students off. Due to this, the words of distaste spread, skewing the class’s reputation. Additionally, students often complain about the difficulty of the course. While this is subjective, Mrs. Carder believes it is another unreasonable complaint used against the class.
“Why not challenge yourself?” Mrs Carder says. “Understanding how we believe things happened, like how volcanoes happen, understanding why volcanoes happen where they happen, and the thought process behind that, that’s hard. Thinking is hard. But, hopefully, when you leave Howell High School, your diploma says that you are able to think.”
When a student progresses through the Earth science course (even if they were dreading taking it), they are not only benefiting from the knowledge being taught, but they are also challenging themselves by thinking critically, while simultaneously learning how our world works, the basis upon which every single aspect of life is built. By taking the course, you are benefiting both yourself and the community of Howell High School by setting an example for those dismissive of the class. Take that first step in showing your gratitude towards our planet, and make a positive impact by simply taking the time to learn the intricacies of our world.
