Fifth grade students at Fremont Elementary School in Colorado were assigned a reading passage that describes global warming as a dangerous, man-made phenomenon that will destroy civilization in a few hundred years.
The reading assignment was found inside a workbook aligned with the controversial national Common Core curriculum guidelines, and was titled “Homework from the Future.” It tells the fictional story of a visitor to the year 2512 who discovers that the eastern United States is under water and the country’s population greatly reduced, all thanks to man-made global warming:
By the early 21st century, people knew that the massive use of fossil fuels was heating up the planet. But people didn’t stop their destructive lifestyles. They just kept using up Earth’s resources. The ice sheets melted, and Earth’s crust shifted. ..
In 2130. the oceans began to rise over farmland and cities. In 300 years, most of the eastern United States was covered with water.
After reading the text, students were expected to answer several questions, including: “What caused all the problems on Earth?” and “How could the problems have been avoided?”
The school’s principal did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The district, however, told Complete Colorado that the assignment is suitable for children, despite its political implications, since the text is technically a fiction story.
“I think the topic of global warming would be considered controversial,” said Priscilla Straughn, a curriculum expert for the school district, in a statement. “That was not the intent of this assignment. This assignment was around comprehension, with the science fiction genre.”
This is not the only assignment in the workbook that advances liberal environmental views. Another reading–that was not assigned to students–tells the story of Farmer Laura, who wins the coveted “Farmer of the Year” award by creating a successful organic farm that doesn’t consume fossil fuels. The story argues that “Global climate change is a serious problem,” and even cites a real study from the Rodale Institute, an organization that promotes organic farming.
This story is also technically “fiction,” however. (RELATED: EPIC FAIL: Parents reveal insane Common Core worksheets)