Intellectual Freedom: Incorporating Intellectual Freedom into STEM Programs

Abstract

How can librarians connect children with trustworthy scientific source material about climate change? Here we look at ways to include intellectual freedom concepts in STEM/STEAM programming for children.

The national STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) initiative has enjoyed broad support in schools and libraries for years. Yet, what science tells us about how humans are negatively impacting the world has become highly contentious and is even censored.

Global warming/climate change is the most far-reaching example. The media, pushed by political forces, give equal credence and air time to a small number of scientists who deny the predictions based on scientific studies.