Major changes are coming to Indiana schools, as state educators are adding a new climate change curriculum to science classes. New state science standards, which require more climate education, will go into full effect by next school year.

A 2020 survey by science educators found a majority of the 50 states did not include elements of environmental science and climate change in their curricula.

Glenn Branch, deputy director of the National Center for Science Education, said over the past decade, climate change has gone from being an abstract concept to a clear and present danger to the planet.

"It's important for today's students to understand climate change because they're going to be experiencing the disruptive effects of climate change for the rest of their life," Branch pointed out. "They'll need to be equipped with the knowledge and know how to adapt to and mitigate the worst of these effects."

The state's new Climate Change Education Framework was produced by a partnership between Purdue University and the Indiana Board of Education. Officials call the curriculum a "major step forward" in preparing students to cope with climate change.

A recent study by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication found 72% of Americans believe climate change is real, and a majority agree it is caused by human activity. Branch said in a study by the center, Indiana ranked among the bottom 10 states for its climate change studies.

"In that study, Indiana's standards received a D, so not very good at all," Branch noted. "If we were to apply the same rubric to the new standards, it would at least get a B plus, possibly an A minus."

Branch added many teachers have not yet had the opportunity to learn about climate change and will need extra training to get up to speed.

"It's one thing to tell the teachers, 'Hey, you need to start teaching more about climate change,' and it's another thing to prepare the teachers to do so," Branch stressed. "Remember, today's teachers were educated in yesterday's schools. Yesterday's schools didn't teach very much about climate change."

A new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finds the repayment process for federal student loans has been filled with errors.

Repayments began in October following a three-year pandemic-related pause. Since then, complaints of inaccurate bills, late notices and poor customer service have increased. Officials with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said they are working to protect borrowers from incompetent or predatory student loan servicers.

Rohit Chopra, director of the bureau, said borrowers should be cautious, especially when talking to third parties contracted by loan servicers for bill payments.

"If you're having trouble, please file a complaint," Chopra urged. "We're often able to get those individuals across the country fixes - and sometimes, clear answers on what really needs to happen."

The Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan earlier this year, affecting almost 1.8 million Ohioans carrying student debt. Average student loan debt in Ohio is more than $34,000, according to the website educationdata.org.

Judy Dollison, president of the Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio, said now is the time for borrowers to carefully read and understand the terms of their loan and become familiar with legitimate student loan repayment assistance programs.

"It's important to know what services those lenders provide," Dollison noted. "And what are the legitimate companies that are part of the program."

This week, the U.S. Department of Education released draft rules for expanding federal debt relief. Hearings on the plans will be held Dec. 11-12.


get more stories like this via email

Fewer college students are taking foreign language courses, and a new report warns this could affect how well students are prepared for a globalized world.

The Modern Language Association survey finds fewer students chose to study languages other than English between 2016 and 2021. Nationally, enrollment dropped 17% during the same period, and the impact in Indiana is far greater.

Deborah Cohn, provost professor of Spanish and Portuguese at Indiana University, explained the dropping numbers could spell trouble for students applying for college, and have implications for equity.

"In Indiana, between 2016 and 2021, they dropped from 42,000 to 30,000. So, that is a drop, in that five-year period, of 29.4%," she said.

Cohn pointed out that foreign language studies provide cultural knowledge and open doors for many types of jobs. The report says adequate funding for language programs, and support from the schools, are needed to help keep them going.

According to the report, making foreign language courses more career-focused might attract more students. Cohn underscored that the nation is becoming more diverse - so it's important to understand and be able to connect with others.

"We actually need language study for jobs to serve both the domestic market but also the international market. We need people who can speak languages who can offer social services, legal services, medical services within this country," she continued.

One thing that might turn the ship, according to Cohn, is getting students involved in studying languages at all levels - especially when they are young. The report also recommends schools build partnerships with multicultural organizations.


get more stories like this via email

The Students for Justice in Palestine chapters at the University of Florida and the University of South Florida are filing lawsuits against the deactivation orders issued by State University System Chancellor Raymond Rodrigues and Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The groups claim the looming orders come at a time when the conflict in the contested territories of Israel and Palestine are a matter of vital public discourse, depriving them of essential resources.

Hina Shamsi, director of the National Security Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, is part of the legal team representing the students.

"Our client has made a very brave decision to challenge state officials' attempt to restrict student speech, in a case that they and we hope sends a strong message that censorship in our schools is unconsitutional," said Shamsi.

The state's deactivation was based on the groups' alleged connection to a toolkit supporting Hamas' attack on Israel, which violates a Florida law against providing material support to foreign terrorist organizations. However, neither group has a formal relationship with the National Students for Justice in Palestine, which the Chancellor later acknoledged.

According to Shamsi, the groups recognize that colleges are contending with how to manage increased tensions and threats on their campuses while keeping students safe, but pointed out that it doesn't mean they have to abandon students' rights to do so.

"We take the weight and complexities of those issues seriously," she added, "but it is precisely in times of heightened crisis that university leaders must remain steadfast in their commitment to free speech, to open debate and peaceful dissent on campus."

While the Chancellor Rodrigues says they are reviewing legal and deactivation options, a spokesman for the governor's office said it was "reprehensible to see some university administrators, after the fact, creating bureaucratic roadblocks."



get more stories like this via email