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Tell Utah: Keep Lobbyists Out of the Classroom
  1. Signatures
    258 out of 500
    Petitioning
    1. Executive Director, Utah Department of Natural Resources (Mike Styler)
  2. Created By
    Jamie Friedland
    Washingon, DC
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

On behalf of the fossil fuel industries, Utah state legislators have proposed a bill to teach elementary school students about how beneficial and important oil, natural gas, and mining are to their young lives.  Instead of cleaning up their polluting acts, the industry and its lawmaking allies want to brainwash schoolchildren into believing that dirty drilling is vital to America's survival.   

That would be bad enough, but the bill has received support from the state government entity that is supposed to be regulating these industries!  That is unacceptable.

Mike Styler, the executive director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources (which oversees those industry regulators) was an educator for 15 years.  He knows that politics and propaganda have no place in the classroom.  Let's remind him of his duty to the people of Utah.

Recent Signatures

Director Styler

Greetings,

As an avid outdoorsman and active conservationist in beautiful Utah, you know how precious our natural environment is. I understand that mining and fossil fuels are currently important for Utah and America, but it is undeniable that they cause pollution. We should be minimizing the impact of these practices, not denying the problems and brainwashing children into believing that they don't exist.

The proposed Mineral and Petroleum Literacy Act in the state legislature that would enact a curriculum to teach elementary students the benefits of drilling and mining is deplorable. I am very disappointed with Rep. Draxler and his colleagues for cosponsoring such a bill, but I expect this from them. I also expect that your Division of Oil, Gas and Mining will protect Utah from industry overreach. That is why I am deeply concerned that this division has actually come out in support of that bill.

You were an educator for 15 years. You know that politics and lobbying have no place in an elementary school classroom. I am writing you to ask that you please withdraw state regulator support for this egregious attempt at indoctrinating our children. It is grossly inappropriate.

Thank you.

[Your name]

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