What "basics" do they lack, and how do they acquire them by simply growing older? I am struggling to understand your point here.
There is NO possible way for government to educate children in a manner that does not PROFOUNDLY influence their political, cultural, and religious worldview.
Hmmm. If this is true (and I am very far from persuaded that it is), is it not true of all educators, or true about the nature of education? In other words, do not Church schools (and my own daughters attend one, btw) also influence the 'political, cultural, and religious worldview' of their pupils?
Your point really isn't clear to me.
Hmmm. If this is true (and I am very far from persuade that it is), is it not true of all educators, or true about the nature of education? In other words, do not Church schools (and my own daughters attend one, btw) also influence the 'political, cultural, and religious worldview' of their pupils? Your point really isn't clear to me.
Time and resources are finite. No school or teacher can give equal time to all that is know in every culture. Choices must be made as to what to cover, what to merely mention, and what to ignore completely. It is in those choices that cultural knowledge is passed from one generation to the next. These choices WILL favor the politics, culture, the morals and ethics ( ie. worldview) of some and ignore or even actively undermine that of others. No education can be all things to all people. It is impossible. For this reason the education of the young is never "neutral".
Evolution is merely one of hundreds of curriculum and policy issues that will establish the worldview of some ( with political, cultural, and religious consequences) and undermine that of others. If you do not believe this then I challenge you to describe a perfectly neutral school free of political, cultural, and religious consequences.
It does seem to me that it is the evolutionists who struggle with this point. Those who support ID "get it" immediately....Oh,,,and by the way,,,I personally support evolution so please don't lump me with the Neanderthals.
What "basics" do they lack, and how do they acquire them by simply growing older? I am struggling to understand your point here.
The very young child is incapable of critical thinking. They still view the world through magical eyes. For this reason they are incapable of applying scientific judgment. They are not developmentally able or ready.
The older child in the upper grades of high school is capable of critical thought, however,they do NOT have the chemistry, physics, basic biology, and math background needed to do any serious study of evolution or even any branch of science. I suppose there are exceptions, but for the most part this background is not acquired until college level. Even high schoolers are at the stage of merely acquiring "general knowledge of the natural world". They must accept the "general knowledge about the natural world" as fact because they have no skills with which to judge the information critically.
In other words, do not Church schools (and my own daughters attend one, btw) also influence the 'political, cultural, and religious worldview' of their pupils?
NO school, regardless of whether private or government, can be politically, culturally, or religiously neutral in content or consequences.
It is axiomatic. That is why government should get out of the K-12 education business. It is OK for parents, teachers, and principals to mutually agree upon a worldview to be presented to children. It is NOT OK for the government to compel children to attend government schools where they will be forced to endure a non-neutral political, cultural, and religious curriculum and policies. We are supposed to have state and federal constitutions to protect us from government establishment of a religious worldview.
If you still believe that government schools ( or any school) can be neutral, then please try to describe one to me. You will not be able to do this.
Remember that evolution is merely one of hundreds of issues that can not be presented in a manner that will not have political, cultural, and religious consequences.