After a controversial announcement that the New Mexico Public Education Department would be implementing an altered version of the Next Generation Science Standards, the public made their voices heard to stop the plan.

Rather than adopt the NGSS in its entirety, as 18 other states have done, NMPED had reworded or removed some standards. For example, language referring to climate change, originally “the rise in global temperatures,” was changed to “the fluctuation in global temperatures.” The age of the Earth — widely agreed to be 4.6 billion years — was removed entirely. Also, at least one mention of “evolution” was removed.

After the full backlash of public outcry, NMPED announced that the new standards, which are designed to make science education more engaging and effective, will be adopted with some of the publics ideas but later announced they would be adopted in their entirety some state specific additions.

Mr. Buschman, a chemistry teacher at SFHS, said the new standards are important nationally so that people from different states will have the same scientific background and that the current standards are vague and “an inch deep and a mile wide.” However, he also makes a strong point that the standards are simply guidelines, and in reality it all comes down to the teacher.

Mr. Brown, another chemistry teacher at SFHS, also commented the new standards: “NGSS provides opportunities for more in-depth inquiry, development of ideas, integrative projects, and potential incorporation of ‘non-science’ issues, including cultural, religious, economic and political discourse, into the scientific arena. … The main downside of the NGSS — although I think this has benefits as well — is that it does not incorporate as many specifics as the old standards, likely making it more problematic for standardized tests, though that may be a good thing.”

At a public hearing on Oct. 16 in the Jerry Apodaca Education Building, where NMPED heard comments on the new standards, many flocked to the chance for their voice to be heard. It was clear that those present were fully against the changes. Hundreds protested, and none of the 55 speakers backed the revisions.

Melissa DeLazerentis, coordinator of a math and science learning center for Las Cruces Public Schools, stated, “I am appalled that the state of New Mexico would choose to disregard research-based standards in place of politically motivated and scientifically inaccurate information. By excluding scientific facts, educators would be asked to purposefully obstruct preparation for college.”

After talking to science teachers on campus, it still remains unclear who wanted the proposed changes.

Mr. Brown said, “As in some other states, there has been a concerted effort by conservatives (not all) to weaken the teaching of evolution, the age of the Earth, aspects of geology, and aspects of astronomy, such as the Big Bang or the age of the universe — anything that they feel is antithetical to the Judeo-Christian tradition.

The next day, NMPED announced it would incorporate the public’s suggestions to forget tehir proposed change to the NGSS and add just a handful of New Mexico-specific standards. Many believe the extra push from engineers and scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory pushed the state to back off from its plan.

According to N.M. Public Education Secretary Christopher Ruszkowski, who was absent from the public hearing, the revisions to NGSS were based on input from many New Mexicans, but in a recent announcement he said the new standards would not include the contentious changes.

The proposed science-standard revisions attracted national attention from major news outlets.

After this announcement, NGSS advocates claimed a victory. However, Ruszkowski also claimed a victory, saying he was following through on his promises to listen to the public.