Posted on 11/27/2005 1:29:26 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Barbara Reger says she believes that God created the Earth, animals, plants and, of course, woman and man, and she tells children that some scientists insist nature shows the mark of a higher power's design.
This might not be worth noting but for the fact that Reger teaches biology in a public school. She is also head of the science department in a middle school in Indianapolis, one of the quiet proponents of intelligent design and creationism -- whose numbers science education experts call "troubling" and surprising -- among the ranks of public school teachers.
These challengers of evolution don't have to push the state legislature to revise education standards or run for the school board. They're inside, right there in the classroom.
"There's a consistent, a significant number of biology teachers in public schools who are creationists," says Randy Moore, a professor of biology at the University of Minnesota who has written extensively on what might be called the "closet creationism" in public schools. "Despite decades of science education reform, these numbers have remained pretty consistent."
The great majority of science teachers accept and teach evolutionary theory, but in a national survey this year, one-third of teachers said that they have faced pressure to marginalize the subject, chiefly from parents and students, and that they often do so to avoid conflicts.
At least 10 statewide studies into these issues have been published since 1999. In six of them, public school biology teachers endorsed teaching creationism in some form alongside evolutionary theory in numbers ranging from nearly 20 percent in Minnesota to nearly half in some Kansas schools and more than two-thirds in Kentucky.
In two states, 40 percent of biology teachers say they allow little or no class time for evolutionary theory, a fundamental part of modern biology.
(Excerpt) Read more at baltimoresun.com ...
I just don't see the same outrage in education circles when a Marxist teaches in the classroom.
A CLASS STRUGGLE: Tenure of Avowed Marxist Controversy jolts College***...."In a nutshell, it means I have a fundamental disagreement with capitalism," he said. "I think that capitalism is a system based on exploitation and oppression and domination and racism and war and lots of other things.
"So I'm totally opposed to capitalism, and I think that the majority of the people of this country ought to get together and transform the system," he said. "I think we need to replace capitalism with some kind of democratic socialism." ...***
The above is a blessing, and I am happy to see it that way. Evolutionists and Humanists are biasing schools by asserting evolution is where man came from, it is about time Creationism gave the Humanists a taste of their own medicine.
Years ago, when I was taking my college sociology class, I learned that people in free nations will ignore irrational rules and laws. It seems that we have a good number of teachers who understand they are primary "transmitters" of knowledge from one generation to the next, who are unwilling to spread an unproven theory as truth, ruling out all others thoughts or ideas. God bless them and more power to them!
The great majority of science teachers accept and teach evolutionary theory, but in a national survey this year, one-third of teachers said that they have faced pressure to marginalize the subject, chiefly from parents and students, and that they often do so to avoid conflicts.
It is not their place to determine the educational standards. If they will not do their jobs they need to be fired immediately.
I am not necessarily for evolution or creationism in this context, but I have little patience for teachers who take politics into the classroom, right or left. If we praise these teachers then we will have to keep quiet the next time a teacher brings leftist propaganda into the classroom.
When I was in the military we used to fine and demote sailors who would drink underage. While noone agreed with the policy (if you willing to die for your country you should be able to have a beer), we follow the laws. Why? Because that was our job. Teachers have jobs as well that require them to follow the policies.
"I am not necessarily for evolution or creationism in this context, but I have little patience for teachers who take politics into the classroom, right or left."
What does politics have to do with science? Any good teacher would present differing ideas in any subject.
It is worse than I thought. Wonder if students are required to 'rat' out the Creator accepting nonconformists?
In Other Words:
"There's a consistent, a significant number of biology teachers in public schools who believe in God,"
So this is a bad thing why? Making too much out of nothing here. If they were bible thumping I'm sure a lawsuit would be filed to stop them.
The article noted: one-third of teachers said that they have faced pressure to marginalize the subject, chiefly from parents and students, and that they often do so to avoid conflicts.
These teachers are failing to do their jobs. There is nothing wrong with giving differing views, but the fact that they are marginalizing their teaching of evolution, contrary to their teaching standards is wrong. They have a job to do, and whether they like it or not, it involves teaching evolution. If they don't like it, they can petition for a change in the teaching standards.
To be perfectly blunt, I am a lot more worried that supporting these teachers who deviate from their standards (for political reasons) will only encourage others. Revisionist history or socialist indoctrinations are a lot more significant than the teaching of evolution in a biology class. But both types of deviant teacher behavior have the same root cause: failure to follow the standards set forth by the voters. While we may like teachers who don't teach evolution, it creates a dangerous double standard.
Remember, the ratio of liberals to conservatives as teachers is very high. And liberals will take any excuse to tout their propaganda.
Well said.
That's why it is important to choose textbooks that allow for creation. Hopefully parents will pay close attention to this issue.
Ensure you add astrology along with your astronomy. And don't forget to add alchemy with the chemistry curriculum as well.
numerology and math?
There is more evidence/data for the theory of evolution than gravitational theory.
***.... In five states, nearly one in five teachers do not accept the scientific validity of evolutionary theory. In Texas, Louisiana and Minnesota, more than one in five teachers say they accept the scientific validity of creationism -- rejecting common ancestry of living things and accepting the involvement of a supernatural force in the development of life on Earth.
A Maryland education official said she knew of no such teacher surveys here.
...***
My, you're up early!
phrenology and anatomy?
Hey, this is fun...
alchemy and chemistry?
Heck, lets teach defence against the dark arts or potions. Bet the students would line up for those classes. Sigh.
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