New York Times Ethicist Takes Readers Question: ‘For my daughter’s high-school biology class, the students are required to take a public action addressing climate change’ – ‘Is it ethical for the school to require students to speak publicly on a specific issue?’
NYT Ethicist Answers: 'To teach climate change as hard science is not a problem...But is it reasonable to assume any concept accepted as factual should just as legitimately serve as a call for activism? Adding the “action” requirement has nothing to do with science. It’s an overt political act, promoting a concept that’s obviously not universally accepted...forcing them to publicly advocate for that idea is something else entirely...Extending an assignment into the public sphere is an infringement on that student’s right to define his or her public persona. The value of the assignment is not relevant. In this case, the biology teacher has gone one step too far.'
