Green zombies By Henry Lamb web posted June 17, 2002 Are our schools producing green zombies? Ask any student in any grade what causes global warming; odds are that their reply will be cars, or fossil fuels, or "human activity." Why is there a presumption that global warming is real - when thousands of scientists have publicly declared that: There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gases is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth's atmosphere and disruption of the Earth's climate. Moreover, there is substantial scientific evidence that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide produce many beneficial effects upon the natural plant and animal environments of the Earth. Public schools are brainwashing our kids. Rather than teach the science that underlies the global warming debate so the students can make their own informed decisions, educators are brainwashing the kids, and calling it English, or math, or history. Take for example, the workbook entitled Vocabulary Workshop, published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston for middle- school English students. Among the 29 lesson titles, consider these: Down to the sea with Jacques Cousteau What is the forecast for Brazil's Rain Forest? Jean of the Environment Balancing Society and the environment: Global Warming Catching the sun for Energy This in an English workbook? It gets worse. The lesson on global warming identifies ten words for study, which are used in sentences as an example of correct usage. Here are a few examples: "Many scientists believe the earth's blanket of carbon dioxide is out of balance. These scientists say that if we don't adjust, or change our behavior, global warming may result." The study word is "adjust." "The blanket of gases is becoming thicker, environmentalists say. As a result, the earth may be getting warmer. Global warming would be a hazard, endangering plants and animals." The study word is "hazard." "Many people feel disgust at the sight of litter on the highway, but other threats to the environment do not seem sickening at all. They come from things we take for granted, like automobiles and airplanes." The study word is "disgust." "We must not continue to foul our environment. Environmentalists say that we can help stop pollution and prevent global warming if we develop cleaner technologies and conserve energy." The study word is "foul." "Urge people to support a candidate running for public office who has a concern about the environment..." The study word is "candidate." And on it goes, for hundreds of pages. A thorough analysis of the material reveals a strong anti-capitalist, anti-corporate, and anti-human tone. Greedy humans are cast as the culprit causing all manner of environmental devastation. This is from an English workbook. This workbook is used in thousands of American schools, including the Fruit Cove School in Jacksonville, Florida. When an irate parent confronted a member of the local school board, she was told to take her complaint to the book's publisher. Math classes use similar language in word problems. While students are supposed to be learning the three "Rs," they are learning, instead, the propaganda produced by environmental extremists. This is not new. It has been going on for a generation - and getting worse. The objective of modern public education is to shape attitudes, values and beliefs, rather than to prepare students to become self-reliant problem solvers, prepared to realize their maximum individual potential. The result is a generation of people who believe the planet is being destroyed by greedy humans, fueled by corporate greed that destroys biodiversity in pursuit of profits. Moreover, too many people believe that the only solution is more government control through policies such as the Kyoto Protocol, initiated through the United Nations. Parents must examine the material their children are being taught. School board members who refuse to assume responsibility for what is being taught in their schools - should be removed at the next election. Publishers that produce this propaganda should be boycotted. Parents in a single school who object to this kind of brainwashing could start a revolution that could spread to all the schools in a district, all the districts in a state, and across all the states. Change will not come from a single irate parent. It could come from an army of irate parents, acting together toward a common goal. It is a worthy goal, to see that our schools provide our children with a solid education, rather than to allow them to continue brainwashing innocent children, and turning them into green zombies. Henry Lamb is the executive vice president of the Environmental Conservation Organization, and chairman of Sovereignty International. Enter Stage Right -