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Should Schools Be Teaching Creationism?
Filed under: Religion & Spirituality, Education: Tweens, Education: Teens
An apple for the teacher, or Eve? Credit: Getty Images
The New York Times reports that despite numerous rulings in federal courts that teaching creationism in schools is unconstitutional, a survey by the journal Science found "just 28 percent of biology teachers consistently follow the recommendations of the National Research Council to describe straightforwardly the evidence for evolution and explain the ways in which it is a unifying theme in all of biology." Also, 13 percent of bio teachers "explicitly advocate creationism," using "at least an hour of class time presenting it in a positive light."
This issue raises numerous questions, and of course inflames passions on both sides. (Discussions involving religion have a way of dong that.) I'm wondering not only what ParentDish readers think about the idea of teaching creationism in school, but what's happening in your child's classroom. Are their teachers among the seemingly small minority who follow the National Research Council recommendations to teach only the theory of evolution? Or does creationism consistently find its way into the lesson plan?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
2-08-2011 @ 1:24PM
Alicia said...My bio teacher always said if we wanted to learn about creationism, we could go to church, but that evolution was the accepted scientific theory and it was her job to teach us that. I agree with her stance. It's a science class, teach science. Religion is for places of worship and the home.
Reply
2-09-2011 @ 9:54AM
Kelly said...Evolution is a scientific theory. Many ignorant people don't know the difference between a theory and a scientific theory. They want alternative theories taught in school. Since gravity is just a scientific theory why don't we find an alternative theory as to why an apple will drop rather than float when it falls off a tree?
2-08-2011 @ 7:04PM
David said...If you can teach creationism by presenting all of the independent verifiable pieces of tangible evidence supporting creationism, then by all means teach it.
If you can only teach creationism by ignoring major portions of the vast tapestry of tangible verifiable evidence demonstrating the factuality of evolution, and asserting that the existence of the holes said ignoring leaves in our understanding of evolution must mean that life was created as per some primitive mythology, then leave it where it belongs - in the venues dedicated to perpetuating these myths not the venues dedicated to educating our children.
Reply
2-08-2011 @ 7:22PM
Christina said...I agree with this, although I believe that creationism should be also taught as evolution is. Not simply like "evolution is right" or "creationsim is right", but be taught with truth. Saying creationism is wrong is just plain wrong, since no one can prove anything. Creationism is also a theory of how the earth was made and kids should not just be taught evolution is the only right thing.
2-08-2011 @ 7:34PM
david said...But they should be taught evolution is the only one of the two supported by tangible verifiable evidence.
2-08-2011 @ 7:35PM
djasonmarchand said...and the only one of the two which has actually been observed.
2-08-2011 @ 7:21PM
Heather said...In the right setting yes. If the teach it as what some people beleive, and the teach about what other religions beleive. In elementary school we would learn about it when that releiogon was having a holiday. In high school I took a world religions course and we learned about the different beliefs of many cultures. If it is in that kind of setting where many ideas are taught the yes it is ok.
Reply
2-08-2011 @ 8:14PM
Joseph said...Evolution?...Creation?
Q. What should be taught in science?
A. In science class, let's teach Cutting Edge Science,
a few examples include:
- Matter from explosions does not condense to form objects like galaxies.
...
- Molecules-to-man evolutionism violates the Law of Biogenesis: Life does not come from non-life.
- The specific complexity of genetic information in the genome does not increase spontaneously. Therefore, there is no natural process whereby reptiles can turn into birds, land mammals into whales, or chimpanzees into human beings.
...
- Many worldwide natural processes indicate an age for the earth of 10,000 years or less. These include population kinetics, influx of radiocarbon into earth’s atmosphere, absence of meteorites from the geologic column, and decay of earth’s magnetic field.
...
- There is no gradualism in the fossil record, no intermediate types.
For more examples,
see:
What Does Cutting-Edge Science Teach about Origins?
http://www.kolbecenter.org/resources/creation-doctrine/83-creation-doctrine.html
Reply
2-09-2011 @ 9:57AM
Chris said...Joseph, if you really believe that the Earth is less than 10,000 years old you should stick to publishing fiction.
We have to compete in a world wide economy and will fall behind if ignorant people, like you, have anything to do with what is taught in school.
2-09-2011 @ 10:11AM
Mihir said...your post was hilarious man! thanks for the morning laugh!
oh wait...you were serious?
2-08-2011 @ 10:48PM
Jon said...Thanks for the good laugh @Joseph ...
"Matter from explosions does not condense to form objects like galaxies" >> what exactly are you smoking?
"Molecules-to-man evolutionism violates the Law of Biogenesis: Life does not come from non-life" >> there is no "law of biogenesis" in Biology. You should take a course at your nearest university. It might have existed hundreds of years ago -- around the same time that people thought bleeding was the cure for everything. Science has progressed a tad since then.
"genetic information in the genome does not increase spontaneously" >> really? and you know this how exactly? Bacteria gain new genetic information all of the time. You will learn that in Gd. 10 science.
"natural process whereby reptiles can turn into birds, land mammals into whales, or chimpanzees into human beings">> the only thing you have said correct so far. What you need to know is that Humans share a common ancestor with Chimps (and Bonobos). Humans ARE Apes and ARE Mammals. We were put into the the scientific classification by God-fearing Carl Linnaeus.
"natural processes indicate an age for the earth of 10,000 years or less" >> BULL. The Canadian Shield is over 3 Billion Years old.
"no intermediate types" >> Every fossil is an intermediate type.
Reply
2-08-2011 @ 10:55PM
Jon said...As for this article....Creationism is not science and so no it should not be taught in public schools. Let the Christians screw up their kids in their own schools. If you want to teach Creationism, then we need to teach all creationism: Hindu Creationism, Zulu Creationism, Shinto Creationism, Buddhist Creationism, Aborigine Creationism, Ojibwe Creationism, etc etc And we need to teach all of this in a religious studies class, not a science class.
The scientific theory of evolution has an overwhelming amount of observable evidence. It is the only explanation out that explains the diversity of life on the planet.
Creationism is a bunch of nothing trying to explain everything by proving nothing.
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2-10-2011 @ 7:13AM
Bill said...We have to ask ourselves, "What would happen if we had only been allowed to teach creationism in our schools?" The current scientific perspective for the evolution of species, environment, matter, etc. were labeled as an "unfit basis" for education and technological development? I would think that the world would have reverted back to a "middle ages", agrarian level of existence.
What would have happened if we had only able to teach evolution and natural science in science classes (and leave religion in the comparative region classes)? It would pretty much be what we have now (possibly even a little more advanced).
Reply
3-03-2011 @ 5:01PM
Guillaume B said...Yes, I believe creationism should be taught in schools.
It should be taught side by side with the flat-earth theory, the witch-hunts of Salem, the crusades, the roman empire, roman mythology, Greek mythology, etc. It should be taught in history class.
Creationism is, after all, a historical fact. The great majority of people used to believe it and sadly, many uneducated people (or educated people in denial) still believe it today because of their blind attachment to archaic superstitious doctrines.
It should be taught. Children should be aware of the threat that accepting such doctrines based of faith rather than reason pose to the foundation of the critical mind and the advancement of science and the human civilization as a whole.
Religion is the most dangerous aspect of human civilizations. Is has been the root of division and hatred between the peoples of this planet for thousands of years. Billions of murders can be directly attributed to the consequences of religion, whether directly (crusades, twin towers, world war II, the list is long) or indirectly (the pope's anti-condom policies, directly influencing the spread of AIDS in Africa, for example).
Children need to be aware and be capable of having a strong critical standpoint of religion so as to not get entangled in it's web. We have to remember that the children are the first victims of religious indoctrinations primarily because their critical mind is underdeveloped. Teaching Creationism is a great way to help them develop this priceless quality.
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