The Wyoming House of Representatives passed a bill Monday that removes a controversial budget footnote keeping the State Board of Education from considering the Next Generation Science Standards. Gillette Republican Scott Clem called the Next Generation Standards junk science, mainly because they require the study of climate change.
“We want something that is unique for Wyoming, we don’t want cookie cutter standards. We are committed to the success of our children when it comes to their education and if we do anything less than that then we are contributing to their failure.”
Speaker of the House Kermit Brown disagrees.
“I don’t see how you get to the point of saying that’s taking more rigorous standards or higher standards off the table. That’s not what it does.”
The standards were developed by states, science teachers, and a variety of science associations. The bill goes to the Senate for further consideration.