"Climate in the Classroom"

"At some point in their schooling, students in Gillette learn that Campbell County is synonymous with coal — and it doesn’t take long for them to pick up on it.

Whether they see steam rising from Wyodak out their classroom window, drink from “Rio Tinto” water bottles or have parents who work at coal mines, they quickly become aware of coal’s ubiquity and generosity — and its importance.

They learn how it powers their homes and schools, how it feeds their families and how it provides them with activities that students in other states could only dream of.

Knowing all that, if you are a science teacher in a coal town like Gillette — a teacher whose salary can be traced back to one of the county’s surface mines — what do you teach your students about climate change?"

Michael DiBiasio reports for the Gillette News-Record January 29, 2011.