Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Is Winning the Curriculum Battle Enough?
Red State Rabble has already related the story of being exiled to the library from our 10th grade biology class for challenging our teacher when he dissed evolution, and instead taught the story of Adam and Eve.
There was a time when we thought this was just an odd story from the distant past. Now we learn there is convincing evidence to suggest that around a third of American biology teachers support the pseudoscientific theory of "intelligent"design.
Even if legal challenges eventually lead to court rulings against textbook stickers and the inclusion of intelligent design in science curricula in school districts in states such as Kansas, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Ohio, and Minnesota, changing what is actually taught in science classrooms will remain an enormous battle.
In the long run, only a serious, highly organized, and well-financed campaign of public education will ensure that real science is taught in public schools. The sooner we start, the better.
There was a time when we thought this was just an odd story from the distant past. Now we learn there is convincing evidence to suggest that around a third of American biology teachers support the pseudoscientific theory of "intelligent"design.
Even if legal challenges eventually lead to court rulings against textbook stickers and the inclusion of intelligent design in science curricula in school districts in states such as Kansas, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Ohio, and Minnesota, changing what is actually taught in science classrooms will remain an enormous battle.
In the long run, only a serious, highly organized, and well-financed campaign of public education will ensure that real science is taught in public schools. The sooner we start, the better.
