Fools’ Gold: Big Oil’s is Influence in American Education

Picture of a fracking rig.

Photo by iStock

A couple of days ago, while I was perusing my YouTube recommended section, I came across a video titled “The Brainwashing of America’s Children”. Now, after hearing a title like that, I assumed that this video discusses a topic like the book bans that have been passed in several states or the encroachment of religious doctrines into public school curriculums. However, the video actually has nothing to do with either of those issues. Instead, it focuses on a much more hidden scheme, one that has been lurking in the educational system for decades for the sole purpose of spreading as much disinformation as possible: fossil fuel propaganda.

Imagine a scenario that goes something like this. One day, an elementary school teacher gathers their class for storytime. The book that they are reading is titled “Petro Pete’s Big Bad Dream”. The story centers around a kid named Pete, who lives in the aptly named town of Petroville. One morning, Pete wakes up to get ready for school, only to find that many of his everyday items are missing – his clothes, toothbrush, bicycle tires, and even the school bus. Upon arriving at school, Pete and his classmates learn about the process of drilling for petroleum and how it is then turned into everyday products. Though these events are revealed to only have occurred in a dream, the key takeaway from this book is unmistakable: a sizable portion of the items we use in our daily lives are directly produced from petroleum.

Cover page of the children’s book “Petro Pete’s Big Bad Dream”

Photo by Cameron Eagle

On the surface, books like these appear to be relatively harmless. After all, it is undeniable that Americans are heavily reliant on fossil fuels in our daily lives. However, these classroom activities are part of a concentrated effort by the fossil fuel industry to improve the public’s perception of their businesses. Beginning in the 1940s, fossil fuel companies realized they had a bit of a PR problem. This led to the creation of educational programs designed to target K-12 students by teaching them what the fossil fuel industry is and how they can support it. Importantly, the materials in these programs omit the drawbacks of fossil fuel usage, including man-made climate change and ecological disasters like oil spills.

It’s not just Oklahoma. Across the country, states are actively funding their educational systems with revenues generated by the fossil fuel industry. Kansas has adopted many of the same models pioneered in Oklahoma, with a program designed around promoting the benefits of fossil fuels. Illinois and Ohio have also developed similar energy resources boards that serve as proxies for the fossil fuel industry. These groups are used to directly lobby state school boards to provide industry-friendly material in their approved curriculums.

This raises a rather thorny question: why do teachers choose to teach information that is heavily misleading? 

There are two primary reasons for this. The first reason is that many teachers are woefully unprepared to accurately teach the negative impacts of fossil fuels. An analysis conducted by the National Center for Science Education back in 2016 found that 60% of teachers across the country were unaware of the scientific consensus on climate change. This lack of understanding likely causes teachers to avoid teaching the subject altogether or doing it in a way that makes the science seem more mixed than it actually is. The second is that the offer for doing so is, for many teachers, simply too good to refuse. The Oklahoma Energy Resources Board, a state agency funded by the fossil fuel industry, has spent millions of dollars providing teachers with classroom equipment and even free field trips. The catch, of course, is that these resources must be used to promote the benefits of fossil fuels. While this in no way prohibits teachers from teaching about the drawbacks of fossil fuel usage, there is likely indirect pressure to refrain from criticizing the industry.

Climate change education

Photo by Urban Acres

However, teachers and public school boards are not the only educational institutions that have taken money from the fossil fuel industry. Millions of dollars have also been invested by fossil fuel companies into both public and private universities. It is estimated that at least $700 million has been invested by fossil fuel companies into 27 universities in the United States in the past decade, including Columbia, Cornell, Princeton, UNC Chapel Hill, UC San Diego, and more. This funding has been used to push misleading narratives, including a plan by BP America to support academic papers “highlighting [the] role of gas as a friend to renewables”.

What can be done to fix these issues? 

The first course of action should be to prevent private entities from donating directly to public schools and their school boards. While this seems like a rather straightforward solution on paper, the reality is that this quick fix could end up burdening teachers who rely on these private entities for classroom supplies. Resources for education continue to be underfunded across the country, requiring school boards to find outside funds and forcing teachers to pay out-of-pocket for school supplies.

Second, science curriculums across the country should make a point of teaching students both the scientific consensus on climate change as well as its short and long-term effects. This starts with giving teachers the resources they need to effectively educate their students on this subject. Additionally, if students are going to be taught about the ways in which fossil fuels are used, they should also be taught about the uses of alternative and renewable energy sources. Providing students with the full context of energy production and its uses will help them to become more informed about energy policy and its effects.

Finally, at the higher education level, public and private universities should refuse to accept funding from fossil fuel companies. Accepting funding from entities that actively work to undermine scientific research damages the credibility of these universities and the research produced by their academics. Even if the funding is offered with no strings attached, there will still be pressure for researchers to find evidence that supports the goals of the benefactor out of fear for future funding opportunities. 

These solutions are by no means the only methods for improving climate education in the classroom. Regardless, actions must be taken by policymakers to prevent special interests from pushing narratives in classrooms that serve their bottom line. By ensuring children are learning factual information behind scientific research, they will be better informed to make sustainable decisions for the future.