Science Teachers Association of New York State Position on the March for Science

Originally Posted on 04 April 2017

We're proud to have the continued support of so many educators in Western New York. We want to thank the teachers who are standing up for science and encourage as many teachers as possible to help us speak out for STEM education on April 22nd in a non-partisan way.

STANYS Position on the March for Science April 22, 2017

The Board of Directors of the Science Teachers Association of New York State (STANYS) is urging the education community to actively support the March for Science on Earth Day, April 22, 2017. The March’s objectives promoting and valuing science aligns with our mission which is to promote excellence in science education. The event will be centered in Washington DC, but many satellite marches are being organized around New York State and around the world.

As New York’s largest professional organization of science educators, STANYS represents a diverse community of Pre-K to University educators with a passion for science education. Although we are emphatically a non-partisan organization, we see the importance of using science based evidence to make claims and influence policy. Our goal is to have our students be critical thinkers, evaluate sources, and use reasoning when making decisions. We are united by a love of science and our desire to share that enthusiasm with students. Unfortunately, as science educators, many troubling messages are being communicated from Washington ignoring the evidence based science we want our students to use when taking positions and making claims. Too often, science is taking a backseat to ideology and partisan politics and that affects our classrooms and the decisions made by our leadership. Science is not a partisan issue but is a process of understanding the natural world. Efforts to silence the results of the scientific process or not support science research are short sighted. We hope our endorsement for the March for Science will add support and bring attention to issues that may affect us not only today, but may impact our nation for generations to come.

Take a stand with Science Teachers from all over New York State as we show our support in solidarity of science on April 22. In addition to the Washington DC location, there are currently 10 satellite events planned in New York State. Go to the March for Science website for more information. http://www.march4sciencebuffalo.com/ 
March organizers are thrilled to have dedicated teams of teachers on board to help make this march a success! Fill out the form to let them know what state you're from and you’ll get started! 
https://goo.gl/forms/CCzoIlmgNy7U8lln2

“The March for Science is a celebration of our passion for science and a call to support and safeguard the scientific community. Recent policy changes have caused heightened worry among scientists, and the incredible and immediate outpouring of support has made clear that these concerns are also shared by hundreds of thousands of people around the world. The mischaracterization of science as a partisan issue, which has given policymakers permission to reject overwhelming evidence, is a critical and urgent matter. It is time for people who support scientific research and evidence-based policies to take a public stand and be counted.

Science is often an arduous process, but it is also thrilling. A universal human curiosity and dogged persistence is the greatest hope for the future. This movement cannot and will not end with a march.

Our plans for policy change and community outreach will start with marches worldwide and a teach-in at the National Mall, but it is imperative that we continue to celebrate and defend science at all levels - from local schools to federal agencies - throughout the world.” 
From the organizers for the March for Science: https://www.marchforscience.com/

Science Teachers Association of New York State, Inc. 
P.O. Box 2121
Liverpool, New York 13089-2121
(516) 783-5432 info@stanys.org
www.stanys.org

President
Glen Cochrane
president@stanys.org

President-Elect
Helen Pashley, Ph.D
presidentelect@stanys.org

Vice President
Lisa Brosnick
vicepresident@stanys.org

Immediate Past President
Gene Gordon
pastpresident@stanys.org

Secretary
Donna Banek
secretary@stanys.org

Treasurer
Sandra George
treasurer@stanys.org
Conference '17 Contact

Alan Seidman
stanysconference@stanys.org

Newsletter Editor
Alice Veyvoda
newslettereditor@stanys.org

Bulletin Editor
Michael Hanophy, Ph.D. 
bulletineditor@stanys.org

Data Manager
Bruce Hall
membership@stanys.org

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A member of the New York
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