On 22 Dec 2005 at 8:51, Jim Clark wrote: > There are at least several problems with Stephen's eminently sensible > suggestions below [my proposal that ID should be taught in the classroom in > order to refute its claims]
I think Jim is too pessimistic about what can be done. > > 1. The level of science education of school teachers. I do not know > the current literature, but at least historically science students were > less likely to choose education as a profession and were more likely to > quit teaching early once they started. A sophisticated examination of > creationism/id requires sophisticated science instructors, or at least > ones committed as much to science and education as to their religious > beliefs. Biology teachers in Kansas and in Pennsylvania have refused to go along with the creationist demands placed on them. As I recall, their refusal meant that school principals were forced to visit classrooms and read out the mandated anti-evolution statement. I think we should admire the courage of these teachers in standing up to their school boards. True, they may have limited ability to counter the slick disinformation of creationists, but with the proper help from experts, I think they would welcome the opportunity. > 2. The religious advocates of creationism/id have certainly not > demonstrated any marked sense of morality in the debates, including this > trial. It appears highly likely that they will abuse any introduction > of creationism/id into the curriculum with unwanted (by scientists and > many others) negative consequences. They will get their wish, namely to have ID discussed in the classroom. Of course they would not be happy with the way in which it is discussed. But it would certainly undercut their argument that the spirit of free inquiry requires that ID be presented as an alternate to evolution. By all means, let's present it as an alternative, and then show how hollow that alternative is. > 3. Can public schools really withstand the kinds of conflicts that > have manifested themselves at the school governance level? <snip> > Certainly the recent experience > trying (with disastrous results) to teach about creationism and other > mythologies in a university religious studies course should not lead us > to be sanguine about what would happen at lower levels of the > educational system. The "disastrous results" occurred not as a result of teaching anything but because the teacher had a big mouth and made strikingly inappropriate comments publicly indicating that he would not be impartial in the classroom. Also, I'm not talking about teaching creationism in religion class but about teaching science in science class, and why religious attacks on evolution are without merit. > > For such reasons, I doubt that Stephen's suggestion is workable, at > least at the high school level. And it might even be a challenge at the > university level, at least in Kansas and like states. I think high school biology teachers could do it if given the information, support and encouragement they need. Banning ID from the classroom isn't going to make it go away. Stephen ----------------------------------------------------------------- Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. Department of Psychology Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Lennoxville, QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Dept web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy TIPS discussion list for psychology teachers at http://faculty.frostburg.edu/psyc/southerly/tips/index.htm ----------------------------------------------------------------------- --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
