Evolution criticisms win more support

[brooklynite]

By Barbara Hollingsworth
The Capital-Journal

The Kansas State Board of Education on Tuesday inserted more criticisms of evolution into the latest version of the state's science standards.

Critics charged that the changes pushed through by the state's dominant six conservative members would make the standards more friendly to intelligent design.

...snip...

In August, the additions will go back to the committee originally appointed to rewrite the state's standards for teaching science, which will return its feedback. But there is little question what that group will say. It previously shot down changes suggested by a minority faction of its committee -- changes that have been supported by those active in the intelligent design movement.

"The committee is no longer in charge of the standards," said Steve Case, chairman of the writing committee. "The board is writing the standards."

http://www.cjonline.com/stories/071305/kan_ksevolution.shtml

[The Doctor.]

1. Well, even if they do wind up teaching ID as a 'science', the upshot is

that they will have to learn;

1) Some physics
2) The age of the universe
-and hopefully-
3) The fact that intelligent design does not directly support creationism.

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. Yes. see my post here on this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4101842&mesg_id=4102124

[Double T]

2. The Kansas State Board Of Education Is Not Competent!!!!

Now We Need Separation Of Church(religion) And Science(scientific fact).

[BlueJazz]

3. I see the Kansas Board of Education has a new Mascot >>>>

[brooklynite]

17. I'm not sure Kansas teaches sex education in its schools....

[Johonny]

4. inserted more criticisms of evolution

Does that mean teachers will be allowed to teach the cons of ID as well. To me this would be very sweet!

[TimeChaser]

5. Hopefully

They can mention that ID doesn't meet the scientific definition of 'theory,' that it's a political tool, and that evolution is the only thing really accepted in the scientific community.

[Warren DeMontague]

6. "What's The Matter With Kansas?".... Um, here's a clue:

http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/nation/11993246.htm


A majority of Kansans polled say they want public schools to either allow evolution to be criticized or teach other theories alongside it in science classes.

And more than one-third of the respondents say the Bible's story of creation is the best explanation for the origin of life.

Okay, that's your faith, and in the context of faith that's wonderful and all well and good. Verily, I'm not going to make fun of anyone's deeply held religious beliefs. (Must...Keep... Mouth... Shut... Must...)

But it seems one third of the people in Kansas HONESTLY BELIEVE that the best scientific explanation for how life got on this planet is that it was created in six days, and we are all descended from a man literally named "adam" and a woman literally named "Eve"...

And, to boot, they apparently would like that taught as scientific fact in public schools.

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, fuckit. Why bother. But when Johnny from Topeka asks why he was only able to pray his way into a 900 on his SATs, don't come fucking crying to me.

[BlueJazz]

8. Damn...That's Scary >>

"And more than one-third of the respondents say the Bible's story of creation is the best explanation for the origin of life".

Can we say.."Lack of critical thinking Skills?"

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

11. Think I'll join you

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Ya, pray for those SAT/ACT scores or start practicing, "Would you like fries with that?"

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. You know why they believe this?

Because they are preached to every Sunday by ministers who are sticking their noses where they don't belong. I honestly believe that is the root of this problem. We need to lobby hard to take tax free status away from churches and do everything we can to shut these ignorant men of gawd up.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Why we don't need to freak out about this

The state standards are merely RECOMMENDATIONS. Each school district is still free to write their own curriculum. And teachers still have enough autonomy to decide what to teach in their own classrooms (at least for awhile, but that freedom is being slowly eroded). I have known dozens of Science teachers and not one who doesn't or won't teach evolution. It is pretty hard to have a degree in Science and not believe in evolution. So yes, evolution can and will be taught in Kansas, regardless of what the state board of ed says.

The biggest impact Science standards have on the state's schools is that they are what determines the test content for mandated assessments under NCLB. So there will be be a few (out of more than 100) questions on evolution and intelligent design on our state tests. But remember there are 100s of other science standards too that will be taught and tested at many grade levels. So at the most, our kids could score poorly on evolution and/or intelligent design concepts. And that's not a BFD.

The worst effect of all of this is the negative publicity for our state and what used to be its excellent schools. That is an entirely different discussion.

Anyhow, that is my .02.

[Warren DeMontague]

9. Only reason I'm not freaking out MORE about this

is, I don't have to live there, much less send my kids to a school where they might encounter such claptrap.

But when over 1/3 of a state's polled respondents believe that Genesis is the best "scientific" explanation for the origin of life, Houston, we have a real fucking problem, and as someone else noted, it's got to do directly with critical thinking skills.

And people wonder how George Bush got 'elected'....

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. But keep in mind that

most critical thinking skills are taught in school by teachers and not by parents at home.

[Warren DeMontague]

12. Wait a minute. If "each school district is free to write their own

curriculum", and presumably the elected state school board representes the voters in Kansas, what is to prevent the individual school districts, some of whom may have a majority of voters at least as scientifically clueless as the state school board, from writing a curriculum even worse?

Also, I remember reading an article not too long ago about how it is becoming increasingly difficult for science and biology teachers to teach concepts like evolution, due to an increasing number of belligerent fundamentalist students who refuse to accept any lesson plan that doesn't explicitly mention God or Jesus. I'll try to find it again. What counts may not be so much what teachers believe or want to teach, but what they can practically manage to get out in an environment of increasing fundamentalist intolerance and anti-science harassment. Of course, without any backup from the School districts or State, these teachers- I suspect- will find themselves under unrelenting pressure to drop all mention of evolution from their curriculum.

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. Well, first of all

the #1 goal in any school district is raising test scores so no school would write a curriculum that did NOT reflect the state standards. I am writing curriculum for my school district this summer (I teach in MO) and we are taking our state standards and putting them in a logical sequence. We added some concepts, but 90% of our curriculum is just the state standards, re-worded. Please note that curriculum is written by administrators and teachers, most of whom are highly educated and experienced. So the likelihood of scientifically clueless people writing curriculum is pretty remote.

Another thing to remember is that 99% of parents and community members have no idea what is in their local public school district's curriculum. And they don't care.

Belligerent fundamentalist students can fuss all they want but they are NOT in charge of what is taught in school. If they were in my class, they would learn the content I teach or flunk the tests over it. And no, their parents don't concern me in the least. There is something called 'academic freedom' that is included in every teacher's contract in this country. It is complicated, but it basically means that Billy's mom can not come into my classroom and tell me what to teach. And as long as I follow the curriculum and abide by decency standards, neither can the principal or school district administrators. I had a parent this past year who pestered me continually to adopt a more 'African centered' curriculum. (This has been a controversy in our district.) I stuck to my guns, gave her copies of our curriculum, explained to her that her battle was with the school board, not me; and my principal backed me to the hilt. So if I am not intimidated by a one-sided uninformed parent, I am not going to be intimidated by a crazy fundie either. And I am not unusual; I am sure that the majority of my colleagues in education would have handled this parent in the same manner.

[Warren DeMontague]

18. I hope you're right.

But I sure wouldn't want to send my kid to a school where "evolution vs. intelligent design" was even on the table.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. You folks are not giving enough credit to the teachers

who will be making these decisions. We are pretty independent thinkers and usually intelligent enough to research isuues like this one before we make a decision. And the vast majority of scientific research supports evolution - still.

[Warren DeMontague]

21. That's the understatement of the year.

That's like saying the vast majority of scientific research supports the moon being made out of rock, as opposed to green cheese.

[sleipnir]

10. Glad I don't live there anymore, just fly my old icon flag.

Intelligent design is simply not a valid scientific theory. They want to have it in "Science" class, well let them call it "Religion" and it will appease me. But, don't call it science. There is absolutely no proof of intelligent design.

If we want to teach intelligent design, then open up all theories of ID. Don't just teach the Christian God, but also include the theory of ET design or computer simulacrum. If we are going to get serious about teaching this theory, I want to hear a bit of the lecture devoted to how we may all just be one large computer simulation experiment run by an outside, intelligent force. It's only fair (and, it might just be the correct theory.....)

[Rex]

19. You stick intelligent design into a classroom and I will find a way

to mold it to scientific theory. You want aliens, superior lifeforms, the Universe will replace the primitive term God. So go ahead and do it you trogs.

[HR_Pufnstuf]

22. Dear Kansas,

Evolution happens.

Get used to it.