Commentary: Dear Sirs/Madams- Yes, it's an old form of salutation. However, it's not as old as going back to pre-Enlightenment values on science as in the proposed PED science standards. Cutting out reference to the incredibly well-studied age of the Earth and to the alarming rate of climate change caused by humans takes us back to the 18th century, before Lord Kelvin, before Aarhenius, before the work of tens of thousands of scientists dedicated to knowledge about our one and only world.
I urge the PED to keep the Next Generation Science Standards intact. I do so as a career scientist and also as one worried about the fate of all or us, particularly everyone's children, grandchildren, and generations onward.
We have only a few decades to hold global climate change to no more than four times its current effects. We need our students to have the tools to deal with great issues - not just the information, but the means of thinking critically, outside of the religious or political beliefs of any persons currently in charge.
Sincerely,
Vincent P. Gutschick, Ph. D., Chemistry, Caltech