Dear HCN,
Before the debate over corporate vs. conservation-sponsored
environmental education is presented in “Teach the children well”
(HCN, 3/26/01: Teach the children well), a more fundamental problem
should be addressed. Environmental education is science-based
(regardless of who designs the curriculum), and the driving
discipline is biology. Herein lies the problem: a strong biological
curriculum is lacking in the school systems. How can ecological
principles be presented when children are not first provided with
an understanding of the underlying biological concepts?
Furthermore, biology is traditionally taught from an animal
perspective, creating a plant blindness toward the natural world.
For most, plants only form the backdrop for animals or are
something to avoid (e.g. children learn about old-growth forest
ecosystems via the spotted owl or poison ivy, respectively).
Ecological or environmental discussions rarely
center on plants. More often classroom discussions are focused on a
single or small handful of animal species and their physical
surroundings, all the while neglecting the important role plants
have in the interaction between animals and their physical
environment. Plant education is always secondary and usually
inadequate when presented. Most teachers do not possess the
knowledge to excite students about the wonders of the plant kingdom
or may not be excited about plants themselves to include anything
more than a cursory glance in their biology curriculum.
In order to relieve the debate between
corporate vs. conservation-sponsored environmental education, a
biology curriculum must be developed and implemented that is
accurate, inspiring and balanced in its treatments of biology
sub-disciplines. Steps are being taken in this direction to relieve
plant blindness and provide educational material for teachers
(information is available from the Botanical Society of America at
www.botany.org). A strong and balanced foundation of biology allows
for the development of a sound ecological and environmental
understanding. Once teachers and students have a thorough grasp of
biological concepts, they can begin to decipher the rhetoric from
valid science in the environmental curricula they are given.
Kevin James
Wenatchee, Washington
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Biology and botany needed in schools.
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