Science Is Not Up For Debate In Colorado
In 2016, instructors at University of Colorado-Colorado Springs made it clear to students that debate would not be tolerated in the classroom.
According to an e-mail sent to students enrolled in a “Medical Humanities” class at the school, “The point of departure for this course is based on the scientific premise that human induced climate change is valid and occurring. We will not, at any time, debate the science of climate change, nor will the ‘other side’ of the climate change debate be taught or discussed in this course,”. Instructors Wendy Haggren, Rebecca Laroche, and Eileen Skahill sent the e-mail out after a student dared to question climate change within the first week of classes.
The instructors claim “Opening up a debate that 98% of climate scientists unequivocally agree to be a non-debate would detract from the central concerns of environment and health addressed in this course”. The 97% or 98% number is often misused, however. It is a false statement that 98% of scientists believe that climate change is occurring and primarily caused by man (not to mention catastrophic). In fact, the number comes from constant manipulating and inferring from scientific papers. A more accurate statement is that 2% of scientists attribute global warming mainly to man.
