In public high school, I had a very popular biology teacher who was VERY outspoken against any kind of creation theory. He was such an evolutionist, he would ridicule any student he knew believed anything other than evolution. It's surprising he got away with it!! I knew as a teenager that I believed in creation, but I truly didn't understand where evolution fit into that belief UNTIL I met this guy. Because of his absolute disdain for anything having to do with creation, I knew without a doubt that I didn't believe what he believed, therefore I based my disbelief in evolution on him.
Now, I'm not sure that makes any sense. This case in PA, though, does not surprise me. Evolution as a THEORY is just not accepted in public schools because a majority of those who teach it believe it to be fact, and that is exactly how evolution is presented. Why would we not teach ALL theories of how life began? I really don't know! Why would we not teach ALL holidays as they exist? I really don't know! Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that we taught all holidays or none. How about, then, all theories or none? Also, not acceptable.
I think the important thing, as parents, is to know what is being taught in your child's classroom. We can add to what they are learning, we can even dispute what they are learning. It's all a part of the learning process and hopefully we will produce well-rounded, intelligent children who know their way around the THEORY of evolution.
Having taught in a private Christian school, I was in the minority when first presented with the question of what should be taught in a Christian science curriculum. When I was teaching, I never saw a practical, hands-on Christian science curriculum (hopefully one exists today) so I preferred secular material. Our school administrator was pushing very hard for Christian science curriculum to "protect" students from references to "billions of years ago" and evolution. These are references our students will face everywhere they go, so why not address it when they are children? and educate them on these issues?? Well, that idea nearly landed me in the unemployment lines!
I just felt, coming from my own background of not really being able to stand on my own two created feet in high school biology, that we need to teach our children about this issue, because they will face questions when they first step foot into that classroom. I want my kids to look smart, intelligent and for their friends to see something in a different way that is not embarrassing to my girls. I want them to confidently be able to defend their beliefs without disregarding what is being taught for what it really is, a theory. I want them well versed in all theories so they can even make a decision for themselves. I'm not afraid to teach them a theory when I know for certain there is a truth.
It will be an uphill battle to have "intelligent design" even uttered in a public school classroom, let alone be taught. And for all those Christian biology teachers out there, I don't envy you! I'm going to start praying now that my children find one!!!
Now, I'm not sure that makes any sense. This case in PA, though, does not surprise me. Evolution as a THEORY is just not accepted in public schools because a majority of those who teach it believe it to be fact, and that is exactly how evolution is presented. Why would we not teach ALL theories of how life began? I really don't know! Why would we not teach ALL holidays as they exist? I really don't know! Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that we taught all holidays or none. How about, then, all theories or none? Also, not acceptable.
I think the important thing, as parents, is to know what is being taught in your child's classroom. We can add to what they are learning, we can even dispute what they are learning. It's all a part of the learning process and hopefully we will produce well-rounded, intelligent children who know their way around the THEORY of evolution.
Having taught in a private Christian school, I was in the minority when first presented with the question of what should be taught in a Christian science curriculum. When I was teaching, I never saw a practical, hands-on Christian science curriculum (hopefully one exists today) so I preferred secular material. Our school administrator was pushing very hard for Christian science curriculum to "protect" students from references to "billions of years ago" and evolution. These are references our students will face everywhere they go, so why not address it when they are children? and educate them on these issues?? Well, that idea nearly landed me in the unemployment lines!
I just felt, coming from my own background of not really being able to stand on my own two created feet in high school biology, that we need to teach our children about this issue, because they will face questions when they first step foot into that classroom. I want my kids to look smart, intelligent and for their friends to see something in a different way that is not embarrassing to my girls. I want them to confidently be able to defend their beliefs without disregarding what is being taught for what it really is, a theory. I want them well versed in all theories so they can even make a decision for themselves. I'm not afraid to teach them a theory when I know for certain there is a truth.
It will be an uphill battle to have "intelligent design" even uttered in a public school classroom, let alone be taught. And for all those Christian biology teachers out there, I don't envy you! I'm going to start praying now that my children find one!!!
4 comments:
Everything in its place.
I find extremists on both camps to have their failings, so your encounters with the biology teacher sound unfortunate.
But the day creationism - sorry, "ID" - makes a testable prediction will be the day it merits being called as much as a theory.
Everything in its place. Science in science lessons, religion in RE lessons. Let neither claim more authority than it really has; but note that science *is* the methodical iterative improvement of knowledge through experiment, theorizing, prediction and back to testing again, so if you manage to do that with a holy book in hand, all to the good. More to the point, if you're doing a good enough job of educating the kids, they'll be able to make up their own minds.
You need to be clear about what a "theory" is. It makes you look stupid when you use the word "theory", when you actually mean "hypothesis". A hypothesis has not stood up to the rigorous evidence and proofs that a scientific theory has.
Gravity is a scientific theory because it is based on lots and lots of evidence. Evolution is also a scientific theory for the same reason. It is not a guess. It is based on vast amounts of research and evidence that has been proven over and over all over the world in thousands of scientific journals for peer review. Actual advances in science in medicine are documented based on the theory of evolution. Not so with intelligent design.
Intelligent design has never been submitted for review because it is impossible to provide any evidence for it. It is a hypothesis. It is a guess. It has not been subject to scrutiny because it can't.
Remember, a discussion of the origins of life is another topic altogether. Both evolution and ID are incapable of defining the origin of life. ID claims an unknown force. Evolution has no claim of the actual origin of life. That is where they both must resort to hypothesis.
Hi guys! I posted a reply to your comments today in a post. enjoy!
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