Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Dawkins: Required Reading in Religious Education Classes
The Guardian reports that teenagers in the UK "will be asked to debate intelligent design (ID) in their religious education classes and read texts by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins under new government guidelines."
"In a move that is likely to spark controversy," says the Guardian, "the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has for the first time recommended that pupils be taught about atheism and creationism in RE classes."
One thing we can guarantee you, putting creationism and atheism on an equal footing in classrooms in the U.S. will instantly put an end to the teach the controversy nonsense. One thing the creationists will never allow is a fair hearing for all beliefs.
Note too, that these texts will, quite appropriately in our opinion, be read not in science classrooms, but in religion classes where they belong.
"In a move that is likely to spark controversy," says the Guardian, "the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has for the first time recommended that pupils be taught about atheism and creationism in RE classes."
One thing we can guarantee you, putting creationism and atheism on an equal footing in classrooms in the U.S. will instantly put an end to the teach the controversy nonsense. One thing the creationists will never allow is a fair hearing for all beliefs.
Note too, that these texts will, quite appropriately in our opinion, be read not in science classrooms, but in religion classes where they belong.
