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Creationism in U.S. High Schools

edited May 2008 in Flamewars
Sixteen percent of U.S. high school science teachers are Creationists. One in eight teach Creationism as valid science.

FIGHT!
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  • Sixteen percent of U.S. high school science teachers are Creationists.One in eightteach Creationism as valid science.

    FIGHT!
    Who accredited these teachers and their curriculum? Are these science teachers or religion teachers?
  • Who accredited these teachers and their curriculum? Are these science teachers or religion teachers?
    WWHHHOOOOO are these people?!! I wanna know!
  • edited May 2008
    They should have their teaching licenses permanently revoked.

    I'm actually OK with teaching Creationism in school, so long as it's taught in a Philosophy class, treated objectively, and taught alongside other such competing philosophies as to the origin of the universe.

    In no way does it belong in a science classroom.
    Post edited by TheWhaleShark on
  • I would like to see a map of where this is being taught. One in eight on a national scale is very misleading.
  • It bothered me that kids could sit out of our high-school biology classes during the unit on evolution if they had a note from home. It sets a horrible example and precedent. Even if one does not agree with evolution, it is a well respected scientific theory and it is a part of our public education high-school curriculum. This sends a message to our kids, if you do not agree with something, you should stay wholly ignorant of it, and ignore its existence. Moreover, it opens the floodgates for parents to excuse their children from any and every aspect of a modern education.
  • Methinks Utah has some explainin' to do.
  • Here is the original.
  • One in eight. In other words 6.25 states are crazy out of 50. That's pretty terrible, but it's not as bad as it could be. 6.25 stupid states, 43.75 smart states.
  • Hereis the original.
    You're saying this is actually a good thing?
  • Hereis the original.
    You're saying this is actually a good thing?
    Looks like he's just showing us a link.
  • By promoting ID and questioning evolution, Dover's elected school board aligned itself with national public opinion, which consistently shows a majority favors teaching Biblical creationism in addition to evolution . Moreover, a 2005 poll conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life reports that 38% of Americans would prefer that creationism was taught instead of evolution.
    At first, it sounds suspiciously like some of the stuff he has cited to in the past to prove his point. However, a closer look shows it's the survey that the article I cited talks about.
  • Houston, we have a problem.
  • When I was in eighth grade my science teacher told us that he didn't believe in evolution. He taught about adapting to survive and what-not but said that there was no proof that humans evolved from early apes. Then when we had to write a report about evolution, I wrote that people who deny human evolution (even though the facts are there) are ignorant. The next day he was pissed off and gave a lecture about how we should respect others beliefs. He never mentioned that it was me that wrote it, but he was talking about me. The thing is, is that I think that people should have the right to believe what they want, it's just the fact that he was teaching his own beliefs. The thing is, people like that technically are ignorant, because they don't know about , or won't accept factual information.
  • That is ironic because he clearly did not respect your beliefs.
  • edited May 2008
    That is ironic because he clearly did not respect your beliefs.
    Silly Steve. See, that teacher is saying that YOU have to respect HIS beliefs. Apparently, it's a one-way street.

    This whole "I'm free to hold my belief but you're not free to question it" crap really needs to stop.

    EDIT: Actually, I don't agree that you have to respect other people's beliefs. You have to respect their RIGHT TO HOLD their beliefs, but you're under no obligation to hold any respect for the beliefs themselves. If you believe in a bunch of bullshit, I'm going to tell you that it's a bunch of bullshit; I respect your right to be wrong, but I'm going to tell you that you're wrong.
    Post edited by TheWhaleShark on
  • Is it safe to say most of Texas is a part of that 16%?

    We have a 'Bible as Literature' class at my school. Which is alright to me, since I don't have to take it and don't talk to anyone that does. It doesn't sound as extreme as the one talked about in the video.
  • Yet another reason why I would never live in Texas.
  • Is it safe to say most of Texas is a part of that 16%?

    We have a 'Bible as Literature' class at my school. Which is alright to me, since I don't have to take it and don't talk to anyone that does. It doesn't sound as extreme as the one talked about in the video.
    Is that a subclass of "speculative fiction"?
  • Is it safe to say most of Texas is a part of that 16%?
    Being a Texan, I know for certain that it falls in that range. I have had many teachers like that. It isn't surprising to me because there are about 20 churches in my hometown, which is small but growing. One teacher I knew (my sophomore high school English teacher) was an atheist, but was very unpopular with the principal because he taught critical thinking as part of his class. He was pushed out by the end of the year.
    Yet another reason why I would never live in Texas.
    I plan on leaving as soon as I get my degree, as where I live is very popular among social conservatives and religious fundamentalists. That being said, there are some pockets of tolerance here and there. I have never been persecuted or disrespected for being an atheist at college, whereas at home I have to remain in the closet.
  • I live in the buckle of the Bible belt (GA) and I can tell y'all that my kids won't be going to school where religion is taught as science. I'll move if I have to.
  • Is it safe to say most of Texas is a part of that 16%?
    Yet another reason why I would never live in Texas.
    I plan on leaving as soon as I get my degree, as where I live is very popular among social conservatives and religious fundamentalists.
    image

    :P
  • Hey, I was born in Texas! At least one good thing came out of it.
  • Hey, I was born in Texas! At least one good thing came out of it.
    Pantera?
  • Pantera?
    BBQ ^_^
  • Pantera?
    BBQ ^_^
    Touché.
  • I bet northern Michigan is part of the 16%. Most of the people that go to my high school don't believe in evolution. Unfortunately the people that do believe in evolution where I live could probably fit on one hand. There was one cool thing I remember though. When I was in science freshman year the teacher showed a video on evolution that pretty much showed everything that proves humans evolved from early apes. The funny thing is that at the beginning, when one student said "I'm not supposed to believe in evolution" or some shit like that, The teacher basically said "I'm not saying you have to go against your beliefs, But this IS what happened," but worded more delicately.
  • edited May 2008
    We have a 'Bible as Literature' class at my school.
    What use is that? It is a terrible work from a literary stand point - poorly edited, inconsistent, a complete lack of plot, etc. This is just an excuse to have a Bible in a school. It is not fooling anyone. As a side note, they don't offer the Qur'an as literature or The God Delusion as literature do they?
    Post edited by Kate Monster on
  • As a side note, they don't offer the Qur'an as literature or The God Delusion as literature do they?
    Nope. My school mostly white with overwhelmingly christian parents.
  • Even though I'm not in the US there is a similar problem in many schools here. The schools refuse to teach the theory of evolution in biology classes. The people here are just way too religious in my opinion. It's already been proven that the theory of evolution is correct but 3/4 of the school along with the science teachers don't agree.
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