BP's 'Insidious' Influence on UK STEM Education Exposed
Documents obtained under freedom of information have revealed a troubling pattern of collaboration between BP, a major oil and gas company shunning climate change consensus, and the Science Museum Group academy. The partnership has led to more than 500 courses for over 5,000 teachers in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) subjects.
Critics argue that BP's influence on STEM education is "insidious" and calculated, as campaigners claim the company exerted significant control over a research project called Enterprising Science. The contract outlining the collaboration states that major decisions would only be deemed valid if BP's representative votes in favour, effectively giving the company undue sway.
The concerns have sparked outrage among educators, who point out that BP's stance on climate change is at odds with its involvement in shaping educational content for young minds. "We wouldn't allow tobacco companies to be involved in crafting approaches to education," said Chris Garrard of Culture Unstained. "So why should BP, a company shunning the scientific consensus on climate change, be able to buy such an influential and prominent role?"
The Science Museum disputes these claims, stating that it retains editorial control over its training and resources produced by the academy. However, the evidence suggests a disturbing level of industry influence on education. The National Education Union has reported an increasing number of teachers expressing concerns about participating in the Science Museum academy due to its fossil fuel connections.
As the climate crisis deepens, the Science Museum's ties to BP have become increasingly contentious. With many educators and schools now boycotting the museum, it appears that the institution is facing a growing backlash over its role in promoting STEM education that may perpetuate climate change.
Documents obtained under freedom of information have revealed a troubling pattern of collaboration between BP, a major oil and gas company shunning climate change consensus, and the Science Museum Group academy. The partnership has led to more than 500 courses for over 5,000 teachers in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) subjects.
Critics argue that BP's influence on STEM education is "insidious" and calculated, as campaigners claim the company exerted significant control over a research project called Enterprising Science. The contract outlining the collaboration states that major decisions would only be deemed valid if BP's representative votes in favour, effectively giving the company undue sway.
The concerns have sparked outrage among educators, who point out that BP's stance on climate change is at odds with its involvement in shaping educational content for young minds. "We wouldn't allow tobacco companies to be involved in crafting approaches to education," said Chris Garrard of Culture Unstained. "So why should BP, a company shunning the scientific consensus on climate change, be able to buy such an influential and prominent role?"
The Science Museum disputes these claims, stating that it retains editorial control over its training and resources produced by the academy. However, the evidence suggests a disturbing level of industry influence on education. The National Education Union has reported an increasing number of teachers expressing concerns about participating in the Science Museum academy due to its fossil fuel connections.
As the climate crisis deepens, the Science Museum's ties to BP have become increasingly contentious. With many educators and schools now boycotting the museum, it appears that the institution is facing a growing backlash over its role in promoting STEM education that may perpetuate climate change.
bp's influence on uk stem education is like, super suspicious. i mean, we're talking 500+ courses for teachers and all that... it seems like they're trying to shape the next gen of scientists & engineers in their own image, rather than teaching them how to combat climate change. 
it's not just about giving teachers a chance to learn new skills, but also about promoting a worldview that's at odds with the scientific consensus on climate change. i get that we need industry partnerships and all, but shouldn't they be more transparent about their motivations? 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to give their children a good dose of climate denial from a reputable source like BP? It's not like they're the ones profiting off fossil fuels or anything 
. Can't wait to see what other 'insidious' collaborations we have on our hands... maybe McDonald's gets in on the action next 
. The whole thing feels kinda shady, you know?
they got involved w/ the science museum academy 2 train teachers in stem subjects & now ppl r sayin its all about climat change deniers 
i mean wot s wrong w/ bp tryna influense young minds 2 think climate change isnt real? 
& now theres a boycott @ the science museum bc of it?? 
its like they cant even be honest abt their motives lol
. I mean, shouldn't it be teachers and scientists who decide what's taught, not a company with a clear agenda? It's all getting pretty intense 
.
... like, can you imagine a fossil fuel giant like BP basically writing the curriculum for our future scientists and engineers? It's like something out of a sci-fi movie, where corporations are more powerful than governments 
. We need to be teaching our kids about science and innovation that's actually going to save us all, not perpetuate the very problems we're trying to solve 
like wouldn't that be super bad? 
It's gotta be our responsibility as educators and as society to make sure we're not inadvertently creating the next generation of climate deniers. 
. The Science Museum does say they've got editorial control over their resources, but if that's really true then what's going on with these courses being heavily influenced by BP? It just seems like there's some grey area here... or maybe I'm just too trusting of the institutions involved 
I'm SHOOK by this revelation about BP's influence on UK STEM education 
It's all about transparency and making sure our education system isn't being hijacked by corporate interests. 
We wouldn't let tobacco companies influence education, so why should we let BP get away with it? 
It's like they're trying to poison the minds of our future generations, and that's just unacceptable. The Science Museum needs to do a serious re-think about its partnerships and ensure that its training programs are truly independent 
. The Science Museum needs to take responsibility for their partnerships and make sure they're not pushing climate change denial on our youth. We need more transparency and accountability in STEM education, stat!