Written By: Jose Sanchez
Edited by: Audrey Sisk.
There exist two types of students: the ones that enjoyed attending their science classes, and those that don’t. For those that do, however, recent budget cuts to some STEM programs may be a point of concern.
Under the Trump administration, there were major budget adjustments made. These adjustments affected areas such as healthcare, housing, assistance programs, and also school science programs. According to Carolyn Jones for EdSource “ Trump’s budget proposal…slashes more than $3 billion in funding for science education. It eliminates funding entirely for the education divisions of NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; teacher training grants, which schools use to help teachers learn the new science standards; grants that support academic enrichment, such as science lab equipment and coding classes; and NOAA’sSea Grant program.” These are funds that directly support science programs from K-12 and also college.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, also known as STEM, is a program in the education system that promotes hands-on learning and real-world problem-solving. It pushes children to think critically and creatively which are the bases of modern-day skills, as stated by the National Inventors Hall of Fame “ 21st-century skills include media and technology literacy, productivity, social skills, communication, flexibility, and initiative. Other skills attained through STEM education include problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, curiosity, decision-making, leadership, entrepreneurship, acceptance of failure, and more.” It is this way of thinking that promotes the bases of innovation. According to the Equality of Opportunity Project (EOP) “ innovation is a critical component of economic growth. Innovative thinkers are the movers and shakers that have the potential to change the world.” The skills gained from a STEM education could also be applied outside of the classroom, as children would have the necessary skills to apply them not only in STEM-related careers but also in their everyday lives.
The United States has been home to some of the most revolutionary advancements in human history. As stated by Geoff Lane on ITI.org “ Basic research is part of our national fabric, and the government’s long history in supporting it has paid enormous dividends. With the help of agencies like the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Education, researchers were able to develop technologies like global positioning systems (GPS), the Internet, compact disc (CD) players, and even Google’s search engine”. None of these inventions could have been possible without STEM, which provides a foundation for the curiosity that ignited the ideas for the things we know today.
As much as some may find science classes boring, STEM programs are crucial for children since it gives them the necessary skills to navigate the modern world. Skills such as critical thinking, creativity, communication skills, etc. Would set them up for success in any aspect of their lives. Give them the flexibility to go into any career and be independent thinkers. This is why it is important to advocate and be involved in the school community, as school is the basis of children’s development, and early aspects of who they are, as it would shape them into their future.
References:
https://www.invent.org/blog/trends-stem/value-stem-education#:~:text=Skills%20Derived%20from%20STEM%20Education&text=Other%20skills%20attained%20through%20STEM,acceptance%20of%20failure%20and%20more.
https://itic.org/news-events/techwonk-blog/stem-ed-and-basic-rd-face-threat-in-budget-cuts
http://www.equality-of-opportunity.org/assets/documents/inventors_paper.pdf
Trump’s proposed cuts to science education would be ‘devastating,’ educators say