Conservatives Use Creationist Playbook to Attack Climate Change Education in School
By Bill Walker
AlterNet
A few years ago, Cheryl Manning assigned a research project on climate change to her high school environmental science class in Evergreen, Colo. She presented the basic facts and data from peer-reviewed studies, then asked the students to look into the issue themselves and report back on what they learned.
Halfway through the unit, three students came to class up in arms. They questioned whether the data was made up and if government scientists were part of a plot — “like conspiracy theorists that say we never went to the moon,” Manning said. At a PTA meeting the students’ parents accused her of trying to undermine their children’s religious belief system.
“Peer-reviewed science is the Kool-Aid of the left-wing liberal conspiracy,” they said, adding a warning: “Be on your guard.”
Manning’s superintendent backed her up, and the parents eventually pulled their kids out of school. But she said her experience is common enough that many teachers shy away from the subject of climate change.
FAA Bill Still Anti-Labor! Call Your Senators!
By Dave Johnson
Not long ago, in A Win For Labor - FAA Bill Drops Anti-Union Language, I wrote that, "negotiators have dropped the anti-union language for votes to start a union. Republicans were insisting that no-shows be counted as "No" votes. Delta's check must have been mailed late."
1% Not Delivering on Paying Their Fair Share of Taxes
By Refugio Mata
Good Jobs LA
“Why is FedEx not paying its fair share?” That’s what more than 400 activists asked on January 25 as part of a larger national movement to hold big corporations accountable to get our economy back on track. People from struggling communities, labor groups, immigrant rights groups, Occupy LA, and others led by Good Jobs LA marched down Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood in a show of unity among the 99% movement. On its way to FedEx, protesters took the opportunity to stop by the branches of big corporations that are also either notorious tax dodgers or are infamous for their bad business practices in our communities. Starting with CNN, whose parent company Time Warner got a tax subsidy of $431 million in 2010, activists marched down Sunset Boulevard carrying signs and banners that read “We Pay Our Taxes, Why is the 1% Not Paying Theirs?” and “Tax Corporations, Build LA”.