If' you're letting people like this be valedictorian, you really need to seriously reconsider your biology curricula, post haste.
http://www.wisinfo.com/journal/spjopinion/310562960907144.shtmlI am writing this in response to Mr. Charles C. Haynes' column "Debate is unintelligent over intelligent design" which was in the Stevens Point Journal on Aug. 23.
In Mr. Haynes's column, he wrote "That's why some textbooks still skim over evolution - and teachers in certain parts of the country look over their shoulders whenever they mention the "e" word. And we wonder why American high school students don't fare well in science when compared to their international peers."
I know these credentials might not sound like much to you, but I happen to be one of SPASH's 2005 valedictorians with a 1490 for my SAT score. I, however, agree with the intelligent designers and feel that evolution does not sufficiently explain the origins of life on this planet. The biggest reason, for me is just that, the origin of life. Evolutionists need to believe that life began from an inorganic mess being struck by lightning billions of years ago. To me, that sounds much more like science fiction than any idea the intelligent designers had.
Getting back to the main point of my letter, I wanted to write in as to what most scientists feel really helps children excel in learning. This, as most of you know, is parental involvement. Many studies have shown that children who share at least three meals a week as a family do better in school than those who don't. Children whose parents read to them when they are younger develop academic skills more quickly than those who don't. Children who have a loving, caring mother and father to whom they can tell their problems do better in all areas of life than those who don't have this luxury. If you really want to know why Americans are falling behind in schooling compared to the rest of the world, it is because they are falling behind in family.
Andrew Timm
PloverEDIT: I didn't know univerities still used the SATs. I thought pretty well much every post secondary institution was using the ACTs.