Schools OK Nuclear-Age Studies for All Grades

San Diego city school board members voted Monday to teach students the issues of the nuclear age, approving a program that will add the study of nuclear arsenals, power and medicine to the curriculum.

The Board of Education’s 4-1 vote for a nuclear-education program means that city students from kindergarten through 12th grade will begin studying nuclear-age issues in September. The district’s youngest children can expect to learn techniques for resolving conflicts with friends. Its oldest will be exposed to the environmental, economic and military ramifications of nuclear technology.

“Whether we wish it to be true or not, children are very aware of the nuclear age . . . and they see very little good about it,” said board member Kay Davis. School board President Susan Davis said students should “develop critical thinking so they can judge whether their futures are secure or threatened.”

Board member Larry Lester cast the only vote against the curriculum change, arguing that teachers will not present an unbiased view of the issues, that city schools already teach too wide a variety of subjects, and that the program will not teach critical thinking.

Lester also said that the board should not set a precedent by adding “socially or politically relevant” issues to the curriculum.

The new program was devised by a task force that included educators, students, retired Navy officers, peace group members and scientific experts. Its leaders promise a look at nuclear issues from a variety of viewpoints, presented in a way that will encourage students to help solve the dilemmas created by nuclear technology.

The program won’t add new courses. Instead, the study of nuclear issues will be weaved into existing courses, such as social studies.

In other action, the board approved spending $2.03 million in California Lottery funds to reduce classroom overcrowding during the next school year. The money will be used to hire one English teacher for each of the district’s 19 junior high and middle schools, and one kindergarten or first-grade teacher for 31 district elementary schools.

The expenditure, which totals 20% of the district’s anticipated 1985-86 lottery revenue, was part of a two-year contract with the San Diego Teachers Assn., signed in February.