Betsy Davis foretells what cuts to funding for science education will mean in an op-ed for eSchool News
The termination of grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) that focused on equity in STEM education will have immediate and lasting impacts, writes Davis.
Federal cuts to funding for new projects focused on STEM education and the termination of hundreds of grants focused on equitable STEM education “will have enormous effects on education and science for decades to come,” writes Professor Betsy Davis in an op-ed for eSchool News.
From helping children understand germ transmission and why washing our hands helps keep us all stay healthy, to affording the opportunity for kids to get well-paying jobs in STEM fields when they grow up, Davis cites many ways in which meaningful science education improves all of our lives.
In addition to the termination of current grants and drastic cuts to spending, “NSF’s funding of new projects and the budget for NSF’s Education directorate are also being slashed,” writes Davis. These reductions waste tax payer money and limit the ability to improve education, she argues.
“To support all children in experiencing the wonder and joy of understanding the natural world—or to help youth move into high-paying STEM jobs—we need to fight hard to reinstate federal funding for science and science education.”
