Tik Tok, Cheese Sticks, and Our Future: How Educators Perceive Students’ Engagement With Climate Change (Poster 7)

• In Event: Mapping the Terrain of Climate Change Education: Exploring Politics, Policy, Practice, and Perspectives

Abstract

Although BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) communities are more concerned about climate change, the global youth climate justice movement is disproportionally White. In this study we focus on the role of teachers and schools in shaping climate activism. Specifically, we explore educators’ perceptions of students’ engagement with climate change. Using survey data from New York City (n=1,358) and focus groups (n=39) we find that most educators do not perceive their students as engaged with climate change. Disparities in educators’ perceptions favored White and affluent students over others. In addition, we find evidence of variation across levels of education and educators’ attitudes. We discuss the implications of our findings for advancing equity through climate change education.

Authors

• Ann Rivet, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Oren Pizmony-Levy, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Christina Ann Torres, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Noa Urbach, Teachers College, Columbia University