FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT:
Raymer Maguire, Director of Campaigns and Policy
rmaguire@cleoinstitute.org
305-573-5251
The CLEO Institute, a Florida-based (501(c)(3)) non-profit organization dedicated to climate education and advocacy, condemns the FL Department of Education’s decision to approve Prager University’s climate change denial curriculum in Florida’s schools. The CLEO Institute and coalition partners released a letter to the Miami-Dade Public School Superintendent, Dr. Jose L. Dotres, asking for the County to follow Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Broward County’s lead in banning the use of PragerU’s climate disinformation.
The CLEO Institute would like to draw attention to the broader implications of disseminating climate disinformation through these “educational” videos. Climate change is not a matter of opinion; it is a well-established scientific reality with dire implications for our planet’s future that is at our doorstep. By allowing misinformation that denies the role of human activity in climate change and belittles its urgency, Florida schools will jeopardize students’ ability to engage with and address one of the most pressing challenges of our time- a challenge that will only become more formidable as time goes on.
The executive director of The CLEO Institute, Yoca Arditi-Rocha, said “In Miami-Dade County, where the impacts of climate change are a stark reality, it is imperative that we equip our students with accurate, unbiased, and scientifically sound information about this critical issue. By doing so, we empower our students to understand and address the challenges of climate change while also preparing them for the expanding green job market.”
As Florida continues to grapple with the impacts of climate change, The CLEO Institute is committed to ensuring Florida’s education system fosters a science-based understanding of this complex issue. The CLEO Institute implores educational leaders to reject PragerU materials in classrooms and instead prioritize the dissemination of accurate and well-founded information that empowers our youth to become responsible and informed global citizens.
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About The CLEO Institute
Founded in 2010, The CLEO Institute (CLEO) exists for the sole purpose of building climate literacy and spurring climate action. As the only women-led nonprofit, nonpartisan organization based in Florida that is exclusively dedicated to climate change education, advocacy, and engagement, CLEO is viewed as the go-to regional source for credible, vetted climate science. The CLEO Institute is a 501(c)(3) working with communities across Florida to build climate literacy and mobilize climate action for a just, resilient future. Learn more at cleoinstitute.org.