Godot (Anonymous) says…

What's the problem with starting your own private school, like other religions do?

FreshAirFanatic (Anonymous) says…

Wow. I can only assume what the underlying thread of this school will be. The earth is warming ouf of control, it's our fault and if we don't change all you kids may not live to see your grandkids. Talk about indoctrination. What happens when the earth starts cooling? They'd need a complete syllabus overhaul…and talk about the confusion. One day you're in 4th grade and are told humans are responsible for the warming. The next you're in 5th and we're back to being at fault for global cooling and the food supply will run out shortly…just like in the 70's.

Oracle_of_Rhode (Anonymous) says…

Man-made climate change is a science-backed reality — sorry all you deniers and ideologues. (Also, the Earth is round and evolution has been proved).

That said, I don't think an environmental charter school is that nifty of an idea. The peril faced by nature and mankind by climate change should be emphasized to students and their parents in the normal curriculum of mainstream schools, not ghettoized in a special green school.

I think we'd better serve the environment by putting solar panels and wind turbines on our existing schools with the money involved here…or serving organic school meals there… or recycling more.

kugrad (Anonymous) says…

This is the first I've heard of this project, and I don't know anyone involved in it, so I can't speak for them. However, I doubt that the purpose of trying to start a charter school has anything to do with indoctrination toward a specific belief.
As a classroom teacher, I've noticed that there are certain children who have a great interest in their environment. They are not as interested in fiction, toys, Harry Potter, video games, sports and so on, but prefer, by their own choice, non-fiction, science, and spend their recess looking at the plants, rocks, and creatures they can find on the playground. Some kids are really interested in the environment. They are fascinated by how plants grow, space, animals, ecosystems.
So, I'd encourage you to have an open mind about this proposal because it probably is not a political proposal.
If you are 100% convinced that global warming is or is not a man-made phenomenon (and I emphasize 100%), then you are probably not a good consumer of science and could have personally benefitted from an education with more scientific inquiry. Maybe this school is a good idea, maybe not, but jumping to conclusions shows ignorance and close-mindedness, which are not traits of educated people.

belexus73 (Anonymous) says…

FreshAirFanatic, I encourage you to investigate further your assertion that there was scientific consensus or something close to that on global cooling back in the 70's. There was not. A handful of scientific papers discussed the possibility of a new ice age at some point in the future. Science Age, a non-peer reviewed magazine wrongfully asserted that the world would be entering a cooling period. Most climatologists DID NOT ascribed to the cooling theory at that time and the consensus was that “we need more research.” On the other hand, a far greater number of climatologists, that most academics would call a consensus, do believe that we have global warming and tham man is part of the reason why. But don't believe me, please do some independent research on this topic yourself. If you are like me you don't trust what other people tell you at first blush but prefer to do independent analysis yourself.

I nominate IGW to come to the enviro school and point out the lapses that Westar and KCPL have in their smokestack emissions-assuming they are not cleaned up by the time the charter school would open.

b3 (Anonymous) says…

God save us from these heretic hippies.

Godot (Anonymous) says…

These folks are entirely free to establish their own school and operate it however they wish.

planetwax (Anonymous) says…

The Lawrence Community Environmental School has been bubbling into existence for well over a year. The initial motivation for creating an alternative elementary school grew out of the image of deeply satisfying experiences of many parents whose children had attended Lawrence Community Nursery School. LCNS, also affectionately known as “The Little Red Schoolhouse”, has been operating successfully for over 50 years and holds the distinction of being one of the oldest cooperatively-run nursery schools in the country. Generations of parents and children have experienced the joy and fulfillment of belonging to a community in which their contributions are both valued and required.

Many of these parents and children are disheartened when their children reach school-age and must leave the LCNS community, when what they would prefer is an extension and enhancement of the LCNS experience throughout their children's developmental years.

We envision Lawrence Community Environmental School as moving beyond the traditional models of a school community. Through substantial, active parent involvement and an approach that situates student learning in the natural world and the wider community, LCES endeavors to become a vibrant community of practice dedicated to higher standards of earth stewardship and social responsibility throughout all aspects of daily life. LCES will also serve as a community resource center for issues related to environmental responsibility and sustainable living.

We have been invited to give a presentation to the USD 497 School Board. We are very excited about this opportunity and would like to invite all of you to attend this meeting, which is scheduled for Monday, May 12 at 7:00 p.m. at 110 McDonald Drive. Please come to show your support for LCES!

One of the most important tasks for us is to show the school board that there is a need for this type of educational alternative in Lawrence. We know there is; we just need you to help us prove it! To that end, we are asking our supporters to write brief, informal letters in support for the idea of a parent-run cooperative elementary school focused on environmental education. Letters can be emailed to green.school.coop@gmail or mailed to LCES, 1316 N 1750 Rd, Lawrence, KS 66044. If you do nothing else to support this movement, please write a letter of support.

Godot (Anonymous) says…

I admire you for your desire to rescue your children from the public school system; go all the way: establish your own private school.

Godot (Anonymous) says…

Or, select 16 of the most convincing members of your group to run for the school board, then transform the system for the benefit of all children.

bearded_gnome (Anonymous) says…

Is The “Scientific Consensus” on Global Warming a Myth?
Yes, says internationally renowned environmentalist author Lawrence Solomon who highlights the brave scientists—all leaders in their fields— who dispute
the conventional wisdom of climate change alarmists (despite the threat to their careers)
Al Gore and his media allies claim the only scientists who dispute the alarmist view on global warming are corrupt crackpots and “deniers”, comparable to
neo-Nazis who deny the Holocaust.
Solomon calmly and methodically debunks Gore's outrageous charges, showing in on 'headline' case after another that the scientists who dispute Gore's doomsday
scenarios have far more credibility than those who support Gore's theories. These men who expose Gore's claims as absurd hold top positions at the most
prestigious scientific institutes in the world. Their work is cited and acclaimed throughout the scientific community. No wonder Gore and his allies want
to pretend they don't exist.
This is the one book that PROVES the science is NOT settled. The scientists profiled are too eminent and their research too devastating to allow simplistic

bearded_gnome (Anonymous) says…

anthropogenic global warming is a myth, supported by religious furver and intense strong-arming of those who disagree.

quote in previous posting from:
http://www.globalwarming.org/node/2062

FreshAirFanatic (Anonymous) says…

To address a few comments directed towards my earlier post.

Oracle, man-made climate change is not a science based reality. The list of scientists taking a stand against the current enviro-religion grows daily and includes hundreds…if not thousands of respected professionals. A few are detailed here — http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sci….

Kugrad, if the purpose of establishing a charter school doesn't include indoctrination toward a specific belief, then why is it called an environmental charter school? That would be like saying a culinary school doesn't teach how to cook. I wish we had more students like you describe. The passion they are showing should be encouraged and highlighted in mainstream education. Unfortunately, in our current climate of teaching to the lowest common denominator while focusing on self-confidence, it won't happen. Schools don’t have time for those at the head of the class. [That by the way may be a reason for this type of school. If backers of this school would say “our kids do not get the quality of education they need”, then I’d have a much more favorable opinion of this venture. I have no doubt the kids produced in LCNS are more than a little ahead of their peers. Of course, then the School Board wouldn’t see them in a favorable light.] Until I see 100% evidence that global warming is caused by humans, I will be 100% convinced it is not. To do anything but is faith…and not science. By the way, science was my favorite subject through school…even resulted in a BS in Atmospheric Science.

Belexus, I was not asserting there was consensus for global cooling in the 70's. Only pointing out that the same fanatical, doomsday predictions were being made back then. The underlying theme between those predictions and what we currently hear is that we humans are at fault. You are correct; a far greater number of scientists are in agreement in this decade than the 70's. Of course, global warming is all the rage right now and anyone who's anyone wants to be involved. I also wonder how much their findings are driven by money received via grants, desire for tenure and political persuasion than by true science. I've done lots of independent research…you have to in order to find anything not spinning left or right. This article is especially intriguing… http://www.newstatesman.com/print/200712…. No warming since 2001…? How about the fact that CO2 levels go up after the atmosphere warms and not before?

Centerville (Anonymous) says…

So an earlier post seems to be confirmed: this is public funding for a (quasi) religious school. Another excellent case for vouchers.

lounger (Anonymous) says…

This kind of school is LONG overdue . More and more schools such as this will be popping up all over the country. We need to teach our children how to correctly treat the earth and how to be responsible with our consumerism. Lord knows the previous generations left a huge mess!!! Im 100% for this school and I think it would work famously here in Lawrence.