Romania removes theory of evolution from school curriculum

[n2doc]

Romania's withdrawal of the theory of evolution from the school curriculum could be evidence of a growing conservative tendency in teaching. Evolution has been removed from the school curriculum in a move which, pressure groups argue, distorts children's understanding of how the world came into being.

Meanwhile, religious studies classes continue to tell Romanian children that God made the world in seven days.

The theory of the Origin of Species and the evolution of humans is no longer present in the compulsory curriculum, through a nationwide decision made under the previous Government in 2006. Before the change, Darwin's theory was taught to pupils aged 18 or 19 years old. This was also in the curriculum during the Communist period of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu.

Information on natural selection, how fish turned into lizards and, more or less, a summary of the first 4.5 billion years of the world until man walked the earth is now optional.

"We don't teach the theory of evolution anymore," said one 38 year-old Bucharest-based biology teacher.

But the Minister of Education, Cristian Adomnitei, argues that biology is taught within the context of evolution. "This subject can be found implicitly from middle school to high-school," the Minister tells The Diplomat. "Do you think that the studies about the world where we live, its evolution or genetics can ignore the evolution theory? This is impossible."

But Remus Cernea, president of Solidarity for Freedom of Conscience, is unimpressed by the Ministry's position on implicit learning.

"How can the evolution theory be implicit?" Cernea says. "The evolution theory is either present in the curriculum and in the text books and is studied by everybody, or not present in the curriculum and nobody studies it."

Meanwhile, in religious classes, pupils are taught that the world was created in seven days and God made plants on the third day and the sun on the fourth. Textbooks claim the first man was Adam, who was 'made of ground', and that Eve, the first woman, was made from one of her husband's ribs.

more:

http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/4652/46/

Way to join the 10th century, Romania!

[madrchsod]

1. did they ever leave the 10th century ?

[denverbill]

2. Now, institute a flat tax and allow open immigration from America...please!!!!

Then we can do a great social experiment about whether a flat tax and lack of critical thinking are the true path to utopia!

[MineralMan]

3. Maybe they can start an immigration program

and get all the creationist nutcases from here to move there.

[randr]

4. My exact first thoughts

If only someone would create a web site so the knuckle heads can sign up for deportation.
It could be billed as a pre-rapture experience.

[n2doc]

5. Inspired!

"Romania- Heart of the Rapture!"

Hey Christians! Want to make sure you are ready when Jesus calls? Then move to Romania- The Biblicious paradise on earth where Only our Truth is allowed! Condos available for your short time left here before the Rapture- Time shares available!

Call 1-800 I Got God for your plan today!

[MineralMan]

6. Of course, there would have to be

free lessons in Romanian. Either that or all the Romanians would have to learn English.

It's OK, though, Romanian is a romance language. Since all those cretinists speak Spanish, no doubt, it'd be easy enough for them to learn. :bounce:

[n2doc]

8. Maybe they could just speak in tongues? n/t

[Greyskye]

13. Too bad that there are more 'creationist nutcases' here in the US than there are in Romania.

See the chart downthread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=228x47122#47198

We are so 'screwn'.

[qazplm]

7. not surprising

Eastern Europe is one of the most religiously conservative parts of the world outside of the middle east, and unfortunately, to an insufficiently lesser degree, us.

[laconicsax]

9. Their MoE has a minor point.

If you understand genetics and meiosis, you can't avoid evolution.

[deoxyribonuclease]

10. I agree

If they are taught the concepts of genetics clearly, then they should have the knowledge to understand some of the fundamentals of evolutionary theories. The problem is whether the students will see the connection.

[laconicsax]

11. Yeah.

I remember that in my high school biology class, we covered niches and how species are specially adapted to them, cellular reproduction including meiosis, and almost 3 months on genetics, but when it came to evolution, most of the class had no clue and couldn't grasp the basics (or refused to for religious reasons). It also didn't help that our teacher had only studied ecology for a little while before deciding to be an education major and didn't seem to really understand the material herself.

[Greyskye]

12. More Romanians believe in evolution than do residents of the U.S.

Way to join the 10th century, America!

[Orsino]

14. Can a return to Lysenkoism be far off? n/t