AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Teachers and science advocates are voicing skepticism about a Maine proposal to update standards to incorporate teaching about genocide, eugenics and the Holocaust into middle school science education. The Maine Science Teachers Association testified before the state that adding the proposed content to education standards without providing professional training for teachers could jeopardize science education. The recommended updates that are up for adoption were made by teachers, and the education department opened up the revision process to any science teachers who wanted to be involved, Mrowka said. A group of two dozen Maine science educators met several times over the summer to lead the review of the science standards, Mrowka said. The state sought public comments about the current science standards earlier in the year and received numerous comments from educators about the importance of challenging students.

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Persons: —, ”, Tonya Prentice, ” Prentice, “, Joseph Graves Jr, ” Graves, Marcus Mrowka, Mrowka, ” Mrowka, Robert Ripley, ” Ripley, Alison Miller, ” Miller Organizations: —, Maine Science Teachers Association, National Center for Science Education, Maine Department of Education, Maine Legislature, The Maine Department of Education, Legislature's, Cultural Affairs Committee, Schools, Legislature, Oxford Hills School District, Bowdoin College Locations: AUGUSTA, Maine, Africa, Europe