Public Education is no venue for Religious Instruction.

That is the business of the Church and the Christian School.

Apr 4, 2012 -- 5:30PM, Girlchristian wrote:

Apr 4, 2012 -- 4:52PM, costrel wrote:

The majority of high school science teachers that I have met over the years support creationism and reject evolution. I am going to assume that if this is true in the state that I live in, this will also be true in Tennesee. So what I see happening here is not so much giving the students an opportunity to openly criticize evolution in their science classes, but giving their science teachers an opportunity to openly agree with those students who criticize evolution for religious reasons. If more science teachers actually accepted evolution rather than accepting a Genesis-based form of creationism, I wouldn't be so concerned about this measure. I get the feeling that this measure is a sneaky way for creationist science teachers to get away with criticizing evolution and openly supporting creationism in their classrooms. 

If that happens then deal with it then rather than squashing all opportunity for discussion in case it might happen. I live in a big city and even though it's in the midwest, the science teachers I know believe in God and evolution and wouldn't choose to teach creationism, but probably could facilitate a debate and an analysis of creationism vs. evolution.

I'm not generally a huge fan of saying 'a law could be abused so we shouldn't try it.'

Since you live in the Midwest, you are probably familiar with Native American criticisms of both Western secular evolution and Christian creationism. In fact, Vine Deloria, Jr. has written two books on the subject, Red Earth, White Lies: Native Americans and the Myth of Scientific Fact and Evolution, Creationism, and Other Modern Myths: A Critical Inquiry. So "a debate and an analysis of creationism vs. evolution" would be much more complicated -- and should be much more complicated -- than just discussing Christian creationism and evolution. I doubt that many anti-evolution Christians would really want students in a science class discussing Native American and Hindu criticisms of Christian creationism. Why? I get the feeling that anti-evolution Christians want the debate to remain a two-sided debate between Christian creationism and evolution rather than turning the debate into a multi-religious and muti-cultural discussion involving a variety of different creationisms other than those that are Christian (or at least those that are monotheistic and favor one Creator or Intelligent Designer). 

Apr 4, 2012 -- 5:25PM, Girlchristian wrote:

The problem I have with such bills is the probability that rather than being used to create opportunities for better scientific understanding, they will be used to surreptitiously inject unprovable religious stories into a scientific curriculum.

It could, which is why one would have to be dilligent and monitor how it's being handled

The problem is doing this in a political environment dominated by religious fundamentalism, including school boards and state legislatures.

Did you read about the shennanigins that came out during the Dover trial. The board pushed fundamentalism while lying about what they wanted, why they were doing it, and what they did. Interestingly, the judge says so, quite clearly.

Apr 4, 2012 -- 9:51PM, REteach wrote:

...So is this an insidious foot in the door allowing science teachers to teach religion in the guise of science, or is this grandstanding to protect teachers from something they don't need to be protected from?

This is from ALEC; an extremist Regressive group funded by a few uberrich with a political and religious agenda. This bill is nothing but an attempt to get creationism into the classroom and grandstanding for votes.

Apr 4, 2012 -- 9:51PM, REteach wrote:

I don't think I understand this.  Are teachers punished if a student says they were taught about Adam and Eve in Sunday school?  

"The measure passed by the Tennessee General Assembly would protect teachers who allow students to criticize evolution and other scientific theories, such as global warming."

So is this an insidious foot in the door allowing science teachers to teach religion in the guise of science, or is this grandstanding to protect teachers from something they don't need to be protected from?

Depends on where one is. I know several teachers here in my city and if a child questions evolution or asks any question about faith (even if it's in a math class or sheer curiosity about the teacher, for instance, "teacher X do you believe in God") then they aren't allowed to answer and if they do, they can be in trouble or terminated.