10 Interesting Lessons from Creationist-Inspired School Books

[Adsos Letter]

Source:
Independent Lens Blog
Posted on January 25, 2013
by Maria Goodavage

Ever wonder what’s in the textbooks that have been influenced by creationist-style curriculum? After screening The Revisionaries (Independent Lens, 10 p.m. Jan. 28), we were curious, so we checked a few of them out.

While some of the more traditional fundamentalist teachings have been limited to Christian schools and homeschooling curriculum, this kind of curriculum is no longer the sole purview of private funding. Many Bible-based Christian schools accept government-issued tuition vouchers for public school students. And some public school districts are teaching creationism alongside evolution. In both cases, tax dollars are at work.

Does this kind of teaching have an effect on students? For better or worse — depending on your viewpoint — it sure does. Here’s a comment one woman left after an article on a book called Science 4 Christian Schools, published by Bob Jones University Press.

“I spent grades 1 to 7 in a small Christian school and our textbooks were quite similar — I can’t remember the publishers we had, but honestly, this might have been one of them (I was born in ’90). In 6th grade we were taught that the earth is definitely only 8,000 years old because carbon dating is unreliable and just more ‘guesswork.’ Out of all of my former classmates, I am one of maybe two or three that no longer buys into this…”

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/blog/10-interesting-lessons-from-creationist-inspired-school-books

This should be interesting.

[peacebird]

1. The trail of tears was part of Gods plan to bring Indians to Christ? The KKK were/are heroes?

[Adsos Letter]

5. These are certainly some seriously disturbing interpretations of the historical record.

Along with the characterizations that often accompany this type of thinking. As "electra" (the first to respond in the Discussion section) observed:

"...for a long time I thought that liberals were immoral, lazy freeloaders."


EDIT: ...punctuation...

[dimbear]

10. The KKK gets sympathy among that set from its membership requirements, which state that under

no circumstances will they accept atheists (also lunatics.!) You must be able to profess your faith in Jesus Christ to be a member. So many barriers to us. Couldn't join Hitler's SS either. Only recently has the KKK included Catholics since the broadening reforms under David Duke.

[cbayer]

2. I love Independent Lens and this one should be great.

We watched a documentary the other night called "What Would Jesus Buy". It was pretty funny and worth the watch.

Anyway, I don't know why I brought that up, except that I really like documentaries about religion.


My favorite from the article - "The KKK? They were/are actually pretty nice guys." Holy molly, there is some unbelievably stupid stuff in there.

[Adsos Letter]

7. imho, Independent Lens is an example of some of the best use of Television

Along with FRONTLINE, the Documentary Channel, etc. .

I enjoy a mindless, escape-from-reality type show as much as the next person. There's just waaaaay too much of it on the tube, and much of it is junk.

Just my opinion, of course.

[cbayer]

8. Agree. Would also add American Experience, Nova Science Now and the Bill Moyers Show.

We get neither satellite nor cable, but we do get TV over the air. That works great, because that's pretty much all we would watch anyway, but the added advantage is that we get 12 PBS stations at any given time.

[Adsos Letter]

9. Oh, I agree.

I would also add some cable/satellite shows like How it's Made, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, etc. . We have used triple-D to find cool little spots to eat at on our travels, and my wife is pretty much addicted to Warehouse 13, as I was to Arrested Development.

The Documentary Channel is one you would likely enjoy if you were on satellite. Lots of good documentaries on a whole spectrum of themes, often with lighter subjects.

[DollarBillHines]

3. And to think that there are millions of Americans who suck this right up.

Effing surreal.

[longship]

4. Bobby "GOP is being stupid" Jindal put these books into LA charter schools.

Pretty much say it should be Bobby "I am just as stupid as I say the rest of the GOP, maybe more" Jindal.

God help us from your followers! (So to speak.)

[cbayer]

6. Are you sure about that?

Jindal has done and said many objectionable things, but he is catholic, an expert on healthcare issues and a rhodes scholar. I would find it hard to believe that he would promote this kind of thing.

Unless you mean that he indirectly did it by signing the charter school/voucher law (which actually came from the legislature, I believe).

[Phillip McCleod]

11. true but somebody signed the louisiana voucher bill into law

[shenmue]

12. My heart goes out to all the teachers

More than ever. Yipes, this stuff makes me want to weep.

[Demo_Chris]

13. I believe this should be illegal

It should be illegal to deliberately teach anything that runs counter to scientific concensus. It's child abuse.

[bluestater1966fgs]

14. It's incredible that this nonsense is still taught here

I mean, it's the 21 century! And the US is supposed to be #1, right? Hopefully this creationist nonsense fades away in the next few years.