Illinois has now passed Public Act 103-0837, that deals with climate change being implemented into Illinois school curriculum, which will go into effect on July 1, 2025 and will change parts of the curriculum starting for the 25-26 school year.
“As a country, we have to pay attention to our environment and make sure we’re not harming it for future generations,” Joseph Schertz, assistant principal said.
The curriculum will not change much, as biology and environmental science already teach about climate change.
“The new law is going to be addressed in our biology course to different units, so all incoming freshmen will have the new parts of the curriculum added in,” Schertz said.
Several staff members are in favor of Public Act 103-0837 being implemented into school curriculum.
“I am for this act being passed,” Jenna Krusz, science department chair said. “It brings awareness to what is going on with our planet and sheds light on how it poses real threats to the environment, human health and the global economy. We get a lot of goods and services from our ecosystems. And if we don’t do our part to preserve and protect them, we won’t have those ecosystem goods and services anymore.”

Students also welcome the topic in class.
“Learning about climate change is so important. I believe learning about it, at least in its basic forms, can educate people on why this cause is a necessity,” Jax Arroyo, sophomore, said. “Learning about topics that are relevant to our lives can help educate people on who to vote for that would be most beneficial to the planet.”
“Climate change needs to be taught about in schools because if the youth does not care about the planet then we all suffer the consequences of gross negligence,” Jasper Dolude, senior, said.
Some staff members value that the act does not only focus on the country as a whole.
“Having the emphasis on the individual will get people to care more, listen, and use their knowledge to vote accordingly,” Griffone said.
When it comes to climate change, Griffone feels many are not aware how dire it is to take action.
“Most people do not have education on what will happen as a result of global warming, what actually contributes to this issue, or how the science behind these processes work,” Griffone said. “I think this plays a role in why there are still people who have misconceptions on the topic or fall prey to misinformation online.”
“One misconception is this idea that environmental health is separate from human health, and that these issues are not going to affect people anytime soon. Soil, food, air, and water quality impact everything that you put in your body throughout your lifetime,” Griffone said. “Every single one of our resources on planet earth is harvested from the ecosystems around us. The more we pollute our environment, the more pollutants inevitably make their way into our biological tissues, contributing to virtually every single health complication that you can name. Pick a condition, and there is a pollutant you likely encounter daily that amplifies your risk.”
Others feel it is important to educate the youth on the risks of climate change, as they are the future of the planet. Students and staff urge people to stay educated.
“For the past few decades our planet has become increasingly more hazardous whether it be the ozone layer, amount of deforestation, carbon emissions, etc. Learning about these problems is the first step to solving this issue,” Arroyo said. “I think it’s our generation’s obligation to be the ones to finally take responsibility and fix these problems rather than ignoring them and passing them to the next generation.”