Scholar suggests creationism has place in schools

[davidinalameda]

http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2005/11/02/local/doc4369579c3f52c979409012.txt

Intelligent design has an appropriate place in the school curriculum as long as it is taught not as science, but as religious belief, legal scholar Noah Feldman suggested Wednesday.



Students should be exposed to “a diversity of views,” Feldman told a University of Nebraska-Lincoln symposium centered around the 1925 Scopes trial challenge to teaching evolution in Tennessee’s public schools.

The Darwinian theory of evolution should continue to be taught in science classes, Feldman said, while creationism is an appropriate topic in other classes as a belief system that represents “a social reality in American life.”


diversity of views means the Judeo-Christian view only or are they willing to throw in other views as well?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

1. Sure it has a place

in a class that teaches religion, cultures, etc.

Not in science class. Although I do believe they should talk in science class about scientific controversy regarding any theory.

[Dulcinea]

6. Its place is in religion class, not the public schools.

It has nothing to do with science.

[ashling]

11. Classical Mythology

[TallahasseeGrannie]

13. Well, yes and no

at the high school level there are often classes on world cultures, which cover religions. Not religion as in catechism. The study of religion is part of education. All religions and the history of religion, along with myth and legend.

[MissB]

27. Yep.

I agree completely. I have no problem with my kids being exposed to a wide range of beliefs- in the appropriate class. Intelligent Design isn't science.

[maximovich]

2. Not in A Science Class

but in mythology.

[Ravenseye]

3. I have no general problem with this

My problem is with it being taught in schools. What we need is a comparative theology class or something in schools so that our students are more aware of the other major religions in the world, etc from animists, to buddhists and hindu and muslim, etc.

Then they can use that to talk about philosophical questions etc.

I do think there is a general lack of philosophical topics in our schools. They need to learn to think more, not just memorize cold facts. They need the facts, but what's the point of facts if you don't know how to think about them?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

14. Agreed

[fasttense]

4. Yeah, and we should also teach reincarnation.

It's a social reality too. In fact most of our IT workers believe in reincarnation.

[prodigal_green]

10. kicking this particular post

Thank you!

[mtnester]

12. That is so they can come back as a computer and kick/torture another

IT person's ass!

Sorry, I just cussed out our Terminal Server for the 5th time today. Could not resist. I may have kicked my own personal CPU, as this many times fixes a problem I simply cannot find.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

15. absolutely

you aren't educated if you don't understand about all cultures and religions.

[Loonman]

5. It's baloney

You think they'd allow Aboriginal creation stories from around the world?

Creationist Christians, the majority of them are the worst liars you'll ever come across.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

16. They ought to

because there is a commonality in the need for creation stories. Teach that and let them make up their own minds

but in science, teach science.

[DemsUnited]

7. Where we live (Fairfax County, VA) quite a few high schools do offer this

class. It's called Comparative Religion, is counted as a history elective, and covers all major world religions (and a few of the minor ones, time allowing). I'm 200% supportive of this elective class and its place in high school curriculum.

I am vehemently against any hint of religious teachings in Science classes.

PS to Fasttense: Reincarnation actually is taught in the class as part of their study of Hinduism...

[SmokingJacket]

8. If we had the highest math and science scores in the world, then

maybe I could see it being brought up in a high school "Myths, Folklores, and Religions of the World" class... but what high school has time for that these days?

Huge numbers of our kids are graduating functionally illiterate, and he thinks it's reasonable to spend class time on something they either get at home, or whose parents don't WANT them to get at all?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

20. Any student going to college

needs more in high school than the three r's. World cultures is part of the basic curriculum, around here it is taught in sophomore years. That is where creation myths should be taught.

[SmokingJacket]

22. Though I basically agree with you...

I don't think that even students preparing for college should spare a second learning about creationism.

Like I said, it's either something they get at home, or not.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

26. Only as it relates to a general study

of world cultures. You can learn a lot about a culture by understanding how it explains creation. For example, you can learn that the Judeo-Christian culture blames women for a whole lot of baggage!!

But to study specifically Adam and Eve in a classroom? Sure, as one chapter in a very large text about world cultures. As in: "Some people believe... and some people believe..."

[unpossibles]

29. While I agree we need to get the basics done better

One way to do that is by teaching the kids to read and write by examining things like philosphy, religions, cultures, etc. Not only will they be more well-rounded in general, but it could help their other studies.

I love to learn and to read and found most classes in JHS & HS boring, so much so that I stopped caring.

If we made intelligence and education more desirable and less something that is made fun of in our society before kids, I think more kids would care about school.

EDIT:
I forgot to state I am vehemently against teaching ID in science class. The faults of evolutionary theory and other theories can be brought up without discussing mythology.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

30. Also

if we did a decent job of teaching world cultures and beliefs and taught them respectfully and actually celebrated the wide variety of human behavior and belief we would have a whole lot FEWER wingnuts out there.

[unpossibles]

31. best point so far

I could do without seeing "Only God Judges Towelheads, We just arrange the meeting!" bumper stickers ever again in my life.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

32. moan...how awful

[MarianJack]

9. ChicaAzul Teaches in Catholic School...

...and has for 14 years. I taught in Catholic School for 6. We both loved it.

When we taught Religion class we always stated the FACT that the Old Testament is METAPHORICAL.

We taught Evolution in Science as a theory that we believed and were convinced of.

In our combined 20 years of Catholic Education, we always had nuns for princilals and, of course, priests as pastors. We had exactly ZERO complaints from either and the same number of complaints from parents.

The current creationist frenzy is just that. It is noise made by the far right fringe of a republican party who is captive to a religious right that ALWAYS overinterprets electoral success as a sign that the country is in a rightist tizzy.

The important thing is that we don't allow them to frame the debate, which is why ChicaAzul & I refuse to call it anything but Creationism.

[WeirdHoward]

17. Gravity

Gravity is not mentioned once in the Bible. Nor is electricity.

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/39512

[yellowcanine]

18. As long as it is taught in a lit class as a unit on creation myths - ok.

In fact, that sounds like a unit that should be required in high school lit. But I am sure this will not placate the fundies.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

28. You are probably right

but in my opinion, it addresses the issue.

[Yoda Yada]

19. BornAgain JC says, "NO"

I am talking about born-again Christian, Jimmy Carter. He says (Larry King interview) that he believes in science and he believes in Christianity and there is NO PLACE for religion in the science class.

It is only "Bush Christians"...the ones who worship George Bush... that think religion should be taught in the science class.

[porphyrian]

21. I partly agree.

However, I would also say that ID belongs either in a comparitive religions class or as an elective.

[RB TexLa]

23. I agree with what I heard Carter say on the radio

regarding God

paraphrasing but same position.

I don't need any science teacher, book, or class to try to prove to me what I know to be true through my faith.


edited for spelling

[Zenlitened]

24. In a class on mythology? Sure. Because it's the christian creation myth...

... right?

Oh, but wait... calling it a "myth" upsets the religionists so. Yeah, "social reality," that's a much better term.

Um... do they still read Orwell in literature class, by the way?

:yoiks:

[TallahasseeGrannie]

25. I taught Orwell last year, actually

Religionists will just have to get over it. The creation myth is akin to dozens of other myths and should be studied that way. Then if a kid decides he/she wants to believe it, they can have at it.

And when you think of it, the reverse is true. If I am teaching world cultures, and I have taught it many times...well, I don't want to have to deal with evolution. That is science.

Now, some people think that the word "science" means truth. I don't necessarily buy into that. To me, science is a subject that follows a prescribed line of inquiry. I have "faith" (strange use of THAT word!) that most of the time truth is uncovered, but I've been around too long and seen too many doctrines overturned, things that had been "proven" by science and then disproven by science. But evolution is science, and creation stories are fascinating to study..in the classroom down the hall.

My opinion. worth what you paid!

[Zenlitened]

33. A well-considered opinion, it seems to me.

Thanks for sharing it. :hi:

Though I'm not sure the intent behind teaching other creation myths -- say, Greek mythology, -- is that kids might choose to believe in it in some fashion.

But maybe that's only because there are no ancient greek religionists around, trying to make America into an "Olympian Nation."

:D

[TallahasseeGrannie]

34. Heck yeah!

Why give Zeus short thrift?