|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
Evolution in Public Schools
Should evolution be taught in schools? The answer is a resounding "Yes!" As discussed in other threads, evolution is good science. Evolution is the only scientific explanation for the diversity of life on our world. The fact that evolution has occurred is overwhelmingly supported by the evidence. Since evolution is science, like all science it will continue to progress and be refined and arguments and debates will occur over details of the theories associated with evolution. This is a good thing. That is how science works. It in no way indicates that the scientific fact of evolution is somehow in question.
Since evolution is the scientific theory about how life originated and continues to evolve and it is overwhelmingly accepted by those who practice the sciences involved, not only should it be allowed to be taught in public schools it should be part of a required curriculum. And not just a general curriculum but the science curriculum. To not teach evolutionary science would be a gross oversight in the education of our children and would put them at a distinct disadvantage in higher education institutions and in the global marketplace.
We can not allow religious fascism to damage the education of our children. Our kids need to know what science really says. We can not allow censorship of science education nor distortion of it for religious reasons. While the fundamentalists have overwhelmingly lost their battles in the courts, their influence can still be felt in the classroom in some areas. Get involved in your local board of education and make sure that evolution is taught in your school science classes and that the textbooks your school uses adequately cover the subject.
Creationism in Public Schools
Should creationism be taught in schools? The answer is a resounding "Maybe!" It depends on how you want to teach it. Creationism should most definitely not be taught in science classes. As has been shown in other threads, creationism is not science. It has no place in a science classroom. Creation science is a contradiction in terms. We should not allow religion to be taught as science in public classrooms.
As to whether creationism should be taught in public schools in other forums, such as comparative religion or perhaps social studies, I think that is up to the school or school board in question. I would say that favoritism should be avoided. If the fundamentalist version of creationism will be taught then all creation myths should be taught. More liberal Christian, Jewish and Muslim versions and Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Jainist, Satanist, Baha'i, etc. etc. creation myths as well. I see no problem with creationism being taught as one religious perspective on creation as long as other perspectives are taught as well and none are presented as fact. However, I do not think there is any justification to require any religious view to be taught. It should simply be allowed in certain contexts as long as favoritism is not shown.
Conclusion
Hopefully this article has cleared up some of the issues surrounding the evolution - creationism debate. There should be little question that evolution is good science and creationism is not even bad science, it is not science at all. There is an abundance of evidence supporting the idea of common descent and it is the only scientific theory of the origin of species given serious consideration by most scientists. Despite this, creationists still try to get their religious views promoted in public schools and in public forums in general. They have developed sophisticated methods to fool those who are not knowledgeable on the subjects involved into thinking that their position is scientific and evolution is not. Or, at the very least, to confuse the issue. However, their tactics are deceitful and rely on outright lies or distortions of fact. Based on looking at the evidence it should be clear that evolution belongs in science classes and creationism does not.
The issue of whether creationism belongs in schools in other venues is open to debate but it should be possible as long as favoritism is not shown. However, while the courts have consistently struck down the attempts of religious fundamentalists to get their religion taught as science this should not be viewed as a route of religious fundamentalists. While the direct, legal approach has not worked on this specific issue there are still indirect approaches and suggestions that a direct approach might have a chance in the future. There is indication of a weakening of the generally strong separation of church and state attitudes our government has held in the past several decades. This is indicated by activities such as the ten commandment laws being enacted or considered in many states and the public prayer issues being considered in the courts (including the supreme court). I don't know that this is a serious threat as even if church and state separation is weakened it is unlikely to disappear and the case for creationism not being science is so strong that it is almost inconceivable that it would be allowed to be taught as such. But, we should be wary.
There are also other ways that religious fundamentalists can make their influence felt, mainly through local school boards. This is evident by the Kansas Board of Education decision regarding evolution. And, the school boards have influence over the content of the text books used in the schools they represent. Believe it or not some districts actually can influence publishers to modify their texts such that they are not "offensive" to religious fundamentalists. This involves "dumbing down" evolution or including nonscientific references to "alternate theories". So, there are still ways that religious fundamentalists can make their influence felt in science classes. While there are limits to what they can do in this manner we should still be aware of these methods and do what we can to stop them.
It is unfortunate that religion and science are in such conflict and that we have to worry about such things. It is my opinion that religion and science don't have to be in conflict. However, with fundamentalist religion there is no avoiding conflict since both it and science seek to operate within the same environment in contradictory ways. As such, unfortunate as it may be, battle lines have been drawn. Fortunately, religious fundamentalists are actually a minority. Most religionists can work with secular individuals to eliminate the fundamentalist influences in our schools. The problem is educating people about the issues and the potential dangers. The only way the fundamentalists can come out on top in this situation is if those who disagree with them are apathetic. We need to make sure people know what the actual situation is. I have tried to make some small contribution to that effort with this series of articles.
(A bibliographic list of sources and recommendations for further reading will be coming soon...)
This FAQ information provided by Lance F..
-->