Closet Creationists
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that Creationism and Intelligent Design are already being taught in some public school classrooms.
Why? Not because of state or local Board of Education mandates but because that’s what the local science teacher believes. Now if you think about that logically it makes sense. How does anyone expect someone to teach something they believe is wrong?
The percentage of teachers that are “Closet Creationists” varies according to the Herald-Leader.
“At least 10 statewide studies into these issues have been published since 1999. In six of them, public school biology teachers endorsed teaching creationism in some form alongside evolution in numbers ranging from nearly 20 percent in Minnesota to nearly half in some Kansas schools and more than two-thirds in Kentucky.
In two states, 40 percent of biology teachers say they allow little or no class time for evolutionary theory, a fundamental part of modern biology. In five states, nearly one in five teachers do not accept the scientific validity of evolutionary theory. In Texas, Louisiana and Minnesota, more than one in five teachers say they accept the scientific validity of creationism.”
Scary huh? Then again if you consider how qualified science teachers need to be at the secondary school level, maybe not too surprising. I think I am willing to concede that the public school should NOT teach evolution as a fact. What should be taught are the following four things.
Why? Not because of state or local Board of Education mandates but because that’s what the local science teacher believes. Now if you think about that logically it makes sense. How does anyone expect someone to teach something they believe is wrong?
The percentage of teachers that are “Closet Creationists” varies according to the Herald-Leader.
“At least 10 statewide studies into these issues have been published since 1999. In six of them, public school biology teachers endorsed teaching creationism in some form alongside evolution in numbers ranging from nearly 20 percent in Minnesota to nearly half in some Kansas schools and more than two-thirds in Kentucky.
In two states, 40 percent of biology teachers say they allow little or no class time for evolutionary theory, a fundamental part of modern biology. In five states, nearly one in five teachers do not accept the scientific validity of evolutionary theory. In Texas, Louisiana and Minnesota, more than one in five teachers say they accept the scientific validity of creationism.”
Scary huh? Then again if you consider how qualified science teachers need to be at the secondary school level, maybe not too surprising. I think I am willing to concede that the public school should NOT teach evolution as a fact. What should be taught are the following four things.
- What is the Nature of Science including a little History of Science.
- What is the “scientific method” and what are the different ways that it is applied.
- What is the Theory of Evolution.
- Why do most scientists, from a wide range of disciplines, accept the Theory of Evolution as probably correct.
I don't see any real need to present alternate ideas. If the kiddies have been attending Sunday School, like they are supposed to, then they already know what they are and where they came from. What the science classroom needs to provide is what are the scientific conclusions and where did they come from. Then, between school and church, the kiddies will have all the information they need to decide for themselves.
posted by Alencon at 3:35 PM
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