Most US students aren’t learning about climate change. Parents and teachers think they should

Parents and teachers in the US overwhelmingly think climate change is an issue to be taught at school - and yet it doesn’t feature in lessons for the majority of children.

Eighty-four percent of parents support their children learning about climate change at school, according to a recent survey, with teachers even more behind the cause at 86%.

Despite that, most teachers aren’t talking about the issue in the classroom. And less than half (45%) of parents have discussed the matter at home.

There’s a consensus that climate change should be on the agenda, but 55% of teachers surveyed said they didn’t cover it in their lessons or even talk to students about it.

Many feel it sits outside their subject area, and in their list of priorities it falls below other areas for inclusion in the curriculum. Given how divisive climate change is in the US, many teachers also worry about complaints from parents.

Other teacher concerns include their students being too young; a lack of materials; and not knowing enough about the issue themselves.

Eight percent of teachers responding to the survey chose not to teach climate change because they didn’t believe it in themselves.

America is split along political lines when it comes to environmental issues. Nearly seven in 10 Democrats think that dealing with climate change should be a top government priority, compared to just 18% of Republicans.