Latest Challenges to the Teaching of Evolution

UK UPDATE

Quote:

Evangelical course that treats Nessie as fact endorsed by government agency
(By: Michael Shaw, Times Educational Supplement, July 31, 2009)

The courses are based around the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) programme, which originated in Texas in the 1970s.

Apparently Texas is now corrupting the UK.

It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it.
- Upton Sinclair

It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it.
- Upton Sinclair

ACLU expresses concern over creationism in schools
(Ben Wermund, The Daily Texan, August 3, 2009)

With a battle brewing over the Texas State Board of Education’s potential to emphasize the importance of the Bible and the Christian faith in American history classes, American Civil Liberties Union members are expressing deep concern.

“On every single front, Texas is the least progressive state I’ve ever lived in and the biggest issue I see here is this insidious business of slipping it into the schools where we have vulnerable minds and peer pressure to boot,” said ACLU member Russell La Claire. “I am deeply concerned about that.”

The Texas affiliate of the ACLU held their annual meeting Saturday, focusing on religious freedom in Texas in light of recent changes made to the science curriculum by the board of education, as well as potential social studies changes.

In March, the board voted to allow creationist revisions of science course material, by altering language in the curriculum that indicated the “sufficiency and insufficiency” of evolutionist theories. The ACLU testified against the measure.

“It’s the climate in Texas that makes us very interested in [religion],” said Dotty Griffith, the ACLU of Texas’ public education director. “We are always against any initiative of government-imposed religion. We’re all in favor of teaching about religion, but we are not in favor of proselytizing or promoting one religion over another.”

Griffith said she is sure the ACLU will also testify against the potential social studies changes.

Last month, the board appointed six experts to review the social studies curriculum.

Three of the appointed reviewers suggested the emphasis on Christianity. One of them, David Barton, is a former vice chair of the state Republican Party and founder of WallBuilders, a group that promotes Christianity in American history; another is the Rev. Peter Marshall; and the third is Daniel Dreisbach, a professor of public affairs at American University.

Terri Burke, ACLU Texas director, said the experts are questionable.

“Our biggest concern, frankly, is the process by which they make these determinations,” Burke said. “Where do these experts come from? Who are these experts? Somebody who has been the co-chair of the state Republican Party is, in my opinion, not an expert on history.”

Susan Herman, the ACLU national president, assured members in her keynote speech Saturday that Texas is not the only state in the U.S. concerning the union.

“As I’ve been meeting people over the last couple days, with typical Texas pride, people have been telling me that you have the worst civil liberties violations in Texas,” Herman said. “But you have some competition.”

She listed a series of cases the ACLU has taken on in states ranging from Arkansas to Michigan and said that, even with the election of President Barack Obama, the ACLU still has work to do.

“Can the ACLU close up shop? Maybe put a nice banner across the door saying ‘Mission Accomplished,’” Herman asked as the audience that erupted in laughter and negative shouts. “We need the ACLU to keep pushing.”

TEXAS UPDATE

Quote:

ACLU expresses concern over creationism in schools
(Ben Wermund, The Daily Texan, August 3, 2009)

“It’s the climate in Texas that makes us very interested in [religion],” said Dotty Griffith, the ACLU of Texas’ public education director. “We are always against any initiative of government-imposed religion. We’re all in favor of teaching about religion, but we are not in favor of proselytizing or promoting one religion over another.”

“Our biggest concern, frankly, is the process by which they make these determinations,” Burke said. “Where do these experts come from? Who are these experts? Somebody who has been the co-chair of the state Republican Party is, in my opinion, not an expert on history.”

There is a larger problem evolving here in which the sheer volume of information now available in our society is making it more difficult to determine veracity simply by availability. In the past there was a cost to the production and distribution of information, so only the more potent information exceeded the cost of production, but that natural barrier is breaking down.

There was an article in Sundy Wash Post about the snatching of original content by websites like GAWKER, and then charging ad space for merely cutting and pasting.

It's a brave new world (of thievery and marketing).

It is also important to be aware of writing that misleads instead of instructs.

“On every single front, Texas is the least progressive state I’ve ever lived in and the biggest issue I see here is this insidious business of slipping it into the schools where we have vulnerable minds and peer pressure to boot,” said ACLU member Russell La Claire. “I am deeply concerned about that.”

We’re all in favor of teaching about religion, but we are not in favor of proselytizing or promoting one religion over another.”

He's a projectionist at a theater?

It's the natural course of dumbing down the population.