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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFour states considering laws that challenge the teaching of evolution
Four US states are considering new legislation about teaching science in schools that critics say would establish a backdoor way of questioning the theory of evolution and allowing pupils to to be taught religious versions of how life on earth developed.
Fresh legislation has been put forward in Colorado, Missouri and Montana. In Oklahoma, there are two bills before the state legislature that include potentially creationist language
A watchdog group, the National Center for Science Education, said that the proposed laws were framed around the concept of academic freedom. It argues that religious motives are disguised by the language of encouraging more open debate in school classrooms. However, the areas of the curriculum highlighted in the bills tend to centre on the teaching of evolution or other areas of science that clash with traditionally religious interpretations of the world.
Taking it at face value they sound innocuous and lovely: critical thinking, debate and analysis. It seems so innocent, so pure. But they chose to question only areas that religious conservatives are uncomfortable with. There is a religious agenda here, said Josh Rosenau, an NCSE program and policy director.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/01/31/four-states-considering-laws-that-challenge-the-teaching-of-evolution/
Wait Wut
(8,492 posts)They will continue to fight this forever. What will they do when their precious punks can't get into college because they believe Adam popped out of a rock? In fact, every college and university (nonreligious, of course) should put that question on the entry exam. "Do you think man evolved over millions of years or do you think the planet is only 6000 years old and man was pooped out by a God?" Autofail if you choose the God poop answer.
Fixed. Done. Kids that think (religious or not) will succeed, the rest can work at McDonald's or Walmart.
liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)they have to teach creation theories from all religions. The Hindu creation story has always fascintated me. I don't beleive it but it is interesting and if these crazy fundies want our kids to learn about creation then they have to teach creation stories from multiple religions. Not to mention that these creation stories belong in a comparative religion class, not the science class. So if they want to teach creation stories from mutiple religions in a comparative religion class then I say go for it, but if they continue to push for these Christian creation stories in the science class they are only going to be met with lawsuits.
Bigmack
(8,020 posts)The local school boards that get involved in these cases are just throwing money away on lawyers' fees.
They should be recalled for wasting the taxpayers money.