The National Center for Science Education has been following the situation in Florida where the state board of education is revising the science standards. It looks like they will not only keep evolution in the curriculum but specifically mention the dreaded e-word and state that it is a "big idea" around which state standards in biology are organized.That's the good news. The bad news is that nine country school boards have passed resolutions calling on the state board of eduction "to revise the new Sunshine State Standards for Science such that evolution is not presented as fact, but as one of several theories."
Here are some of the explanations for this bizarre behavior as reported in the St. Petersburg Times.
Dixie County school superintendent Dennis Bennett explained, "We just wanted to get it on the record that we're a Judeo-Christian community and we believe in academic freedom," and Ken Hall, a school board member in Madison County, commented, "We're not asking that evolution not be taught, just that it be taught as a theory, one of several. I'm a Christian. And I believe I was created by God, and that I didn't come from an amoeba or a monkey."In case anyone wants to avoid those nine counties here they are: Baker, Clay, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Madison, St. Johns, Taylor, and Washington. I've located them on a map for you.
If you live in one of those counties you have my deepest sympathy. Be sure to vote in the next school board elections. In case you're interested, the Canadian counties are all in the south on the west coat below St. Petersburg.
"If you live in one of those counties you have my deepest sympathy. Be sure to vote in the next school board elections. In case you're interested, the Canadian counties are all in the south on the west coat below St. Petersburg"
ReplyDeleteOr you can enjoy this opportunity to have a science class where scientific theories are taught as theories, not as religious dogma.
And you can teach religious dogma as if it were a scientific theory! Truly an amazing idea, Mats.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the alternate theory to explain the diversity we see biology, wait Im not done. Your alternate theory needs to incorporate all the information we currently have and must have some testable predictive power.
ReplyDeleteBTW mats, theory ≠ opinion, guess, etc.
I think that evolution should be taught as one of several theories in science class. The other theories being the theory of plate tectonics and the theories of electromagnetism and gravity. What I don't accept is that we teach ridiculous superstitious myths such as leprechaunism, tooth fairyism or creationism that each have a similar lack of evidence.
ReplyDelete