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Sweden to ban creationism -- in religious, private schools
Filed under: Alcohol & Drugs, Day Care & Education
Actually, it's only in the biology classes, but nonetheless, the Swedish government is planning to implement new rules that would prevent biology teachers from teaching creationism or intelligent design alongside evolution. Schools will still be allowed to offer religious education classes and to start each school day with prayers, but during classtime, teachers will have to stick to the curriculum.According to Education Minister Jan Björklund, "Pupils must be protected from all forms of fundamentalism." Under the new rules, religious worship will have to be completely separate from classroom lessons. This seems really strange to me -- remember that these are private, religious schools -- but I suspect the difference lies in the fact that Sweden is a fairly non-religious country these days.
Still, it definitely seems odd that the government would dictate what a private school can teach -- isn't that the whole point of a private parochial school? Why else would you send your kids to such an institution?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
10-18-2007 @ 10:09AM
Ethel said...You know what? As long as creationism is taken out of BIOLOGY (science)classes, I don't care - it doesn't belong there. Creationism belongs in theology classes. I take my kids to church, and they will learn about God from me and in Sunday school - and I expect they will learn about evolution at school and from me, as they should. If I had them going to a parochial school they'd get evolution in their science courses and creationism in the theology courses.
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10-18-2007 @ 11:40AM
DaMoKi Bob said...Roger,
I pretty much agree with Ethel. This may be a preemptive move against "other" religions insisting on equal time in the biology class?? Or there is a small chance the Swedish government rule makers actually don't wear their hats backwards, and understand the importance of keeping the two separated.
Those who want creationism taught in Biology class are not considering what would happen if they become the minority, and of course they are not thinking about what it right or wrong either.
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10-18-2007 @ 12:39PM
Caelligh said...While I think creationism is idiotic and certainly doesn't belong in biology class, I also think it's a parent's legal right to fill their kid's head with whatever drivel they wish; especially if they went so far as to send them to private school.
The government should not interfere with the curriculum of a private school, unless the teachers are inciting the students to violence or something similar.
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10-18-2007 @ 1:11PM
W. H. Heydt said...There is more here than you think. There is extensive discussion on The Panda's Thumb blog about the issue, including comments by people actually living in Sweden.
All of the "private" schools in question are publically funded, they are not "private" in the sense the term is used in the US.
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10-18-2007 @ 9:58PM
Inger said...I agree with the last poster. Sweden has a very different system of schooling, and their definition of private vs public is not the American.
That said - Yay for them! I firmly believe that creationism should not be taught as the alternate evolution theory.
If only Kansas would catch on...
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10-29-2007 @ 7:16AM
Lasse said..."This may be a preemptive move against "other" religions insisting on equal time in the biology class?? Or there is a small chance the Swedish government rule makers actually don't wear their hats backwards, and understand the importance of keeping the two separated."
It has nothing to do with anyone in the Swedish government thinking that religions should have equal time at biology classes. Both the government and the people of Sweden think that all religions should have NO time at all in biology classes. If you ask me and many others religion has nothing to do in school at all, private or public.
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