Georgia considers banning 'evolution'

[Rokenn]

Georgia considers banning 'evolution'
Friday, January 30, 2004 Posted: 10:11 AM EST (1511 GMT)

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- The state's school superintendent has proposed striking the word evolution from Georgia's science curriculum and replacing it with the phrase "biological changes over time."

The change is included in more than 800 pages of draft revisions to Georgia's curriculum that have been posted by the Department of Education on its Web site. The middle and high school standards are expected to be voted on by the state Board of Education in May, after public feedback.

Superintendent Kathy Cox said the concept of evolution would still be taught under the proposal, but the word would not be used. The proposal would not require schools to buy new textbooks omitting the word evolution and would not prevent teachers from using it.

Cox repeatedly referred to evolution as a "buzzword" Thursday and said the ban was proposed, in part, to alleviate pressure on teachers in socially conservative areas where parents object to its teaching.

"If teachers across this state, parents across this state say, 'This is not what we want,' then we'll change it," said Cox, a Republican elected in 2002.

Educators and legislators criticized the proposal, saying science teachers understand the theories behind evolution and how to teach them.

"Here we are, saying we have to improve standards and improve education, and we're just throwing a bone to the conservatives with total disregard to what scientists say," said state Rep. Bob Holmes, a Democrat.

Social conservatives who prefer religious creation to be taught instead of evolution criticized the proposal as well.

"If you're teaching the concept without the word, what's the point?" said Rep. Bobby Franklin, a Republican. "It's stupid. It's like teaching gravity without using the word gravity."

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

If even Republicans think this is dumb.... Oh, merciful Mystra, I hate this type of word manipulation. Changing a word does NOT change a condition or theory? When will people learn...

[Timber Loftis]

Hey, some people won't eat to-may-toes but are willing to eat to-mah-toes. It happens all the time. q.v. "Gay Marriage" vs. "Civil Union."

[Rokenn]

Well now that I think about it about it was only a matter of time till the PC police started sticking up for southern conservative Christians:p

[WillowIX]

Sounds like som people have waaay too much time on their hands.

Youths have the right to choose their own faith. So let them hear the alternatives, even the un-godly atheist views.

BTW I don't want my children to be taught religion. I propose we rename the subject to "The studies of the big man's involvement in human history".

[ 01-30-2004, 05:39 PM: Message edited by: WillowIX ]

[Cerek the Barbaric]

Originally posted by WillowIX: Sounds like som people have waaay too much time on their hands. Youths have the right to choose their own faith. So let them hear the alternatives, even the un-godly atheist views. BTW I don't want my children to be taught religion. I propose we rename the subject to "The studies of the big man's involvement in human history".

I have no problem with this...just so long as they are also allowed to hear the religious alternative as well as the "un-godly atheist view". Only problem is that evolution is taught in schools across the nation, but creationism is banned - even from Social Studies classes. Not exactly "equal representation".

But I DO agree that it is stupid (altough ironically humorous) that the PC police are insisting that the word be changed.

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

You're right, Cerek. They should teach religious alternatives. Now, the only problem is, exactly how many are there? Start giving equal representation to religious viewpoints, and you have to take every belief system into consideration. It's insane. You'll have the Garden of Eden and the world hatching from a giant egg and the earth being carried by (Select one: A giant turtle or the god Atlas, depending on the belief you're teaching)... It'll never end

[Night Stalker]

I don't think it's the public school's responsibility to give "equal representation" though Cerek. Whatever people's opinion of Darwinism, it it based on scientific deduction, observation, and theory. Were as (IMO) creationism is an attempt to lend scientific credibility to the Genesis story. Darwinism is not tied to any religious belief system while creationism is entirely Christian.

We don't hear Budhist, Taoist, Muslim, Jewish, ect uprising that the schools teach something counter to their beliefs. They send their children to religious schools for their extra education. If parents don't want their kids to learn Darwinism, they should send them to parochial school.

I think the schools went to far into the "social" aspects of learning and got away from core skills. As a nation, we spend more per capita on education yet our public school children consistantly underperform compared to other nations. I think this a la carte, too much diverisification trend is part of the problem. I know this is kind of diverging abit, but I think that religion should be kept out of public schools. Not because I think that religion is bad, but because there are too many choices to address any effectively. That and I think that we try to place way to much of our education of our youth onto the schools. Parents are abdicting parenting and then wonder why their kids shoot up schools.

I know I kinda wandered around this topic. If anyone can find a point, please let me know! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Illumina Drathiran'ar]

I found the point. It was the one I was trying to make, minus sarcasm.