Georgia Takes on 'Evolution'

[dragon wench]

Just came across this....
Thoughts?

Georgia Takes on 'Evolution'
By ANDREW JACOBS

ATLANTA, Jan. 29 — A proposed set of guidelines for middle and high school science classes in Georgia has caused a furor after state education officials removed the word "evolution" and scaled back ideas about the age of Earth and the natural selection of species.

Educators across the state said that the document, which was released on the Internet this month, was a veiled effort to bolster creationism and that it would leave the state's public school graduates at a disadvantage.

"They've taken away a major component of biology and acted as if it doesn't exist," said David Bechler, who heads the biology department at Valdosta State University. "By doing this, we're leaving the public shortchanged of the knowledge they should have."

Although education officials said the final version would not be binding on teachers, its contents will ultimately help shape achievement exams. And in a state where religion-based concepts of creation are widely held, many teachers said a curriculum without mentioning "evolution" would make it harder to broach the subject in the classroom.

Georgia's schools superintendent, Kathy Cox, held a news conference near the Capitol on Thursday, a day after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published an article about the proposed changes.

A handful of states already omit the word "evolution" from their teaching guidelines, and Ms. Cox called it "a buzz word that causes a lot of negative reaction." She added that people often associate it with "that monkeys-to-man sort of thing."

Still, Ms. Cox, who was elected to the post in 2002, said the concept would be taught, as well as "emerging models of change" that challenge Darwin's theories. "Galileo was not considered reputable when he came out with his theory," she said.

Much of the state's 800-page curriculum was adopted verbatim from the "Standards for Excellence in Education," an academic framework produced by the Council for Basic Education, a nonprofit group. But when it came to science, the Georgia Education Department omitted large chunks of material, including references to Earth's age and the concept that all organisms on Earth are related through common ancestry. "Evolution" was replaced with "changes over time," and in another phrase that referred to the "long history of the Earth," the authors removed the word "long." Many proponents of creationism say Earth is at most several thousand years old, based on a literal reading of the Bible.

Sarah L. Pallas, an associate professor of biology at Georgia State University, said, "The point of these benchmarks is to prepare the American work force to be scientifically competitive." She said, "By removing the benchmarks that deal with evolutionary life, we don't have a chance of catching up to the rest of the world."

The guidelines, which were adopted by a panel of 25 educators, will be officially adopted in 90 days, and Ms. Cox said the public could still influence the final document. "If the teachers and parents across the state say this isn't what we want," she said, "then we'll change it."

In the past, Ms. Cox, has not masked her feelings on the matter of creationism versus evolution. During her run for office, Ms. Cox congratulated parents who wanted Christian notions of Earth and human creation to be taught in schools.

"I'd leave the state out of it and would make sure teachers were well prepared to deal with competing theories," she said at a public debate.

Educators say the current curriculum is weak in biology, leading to a high failure rate in the sciences among high school students across the state. Even those who do well in high school science are not necessarily proficient in the fundamentals of biology, astronomy and geology, say some educators.

David Jackson, an associate professor at the University of Georgia who trains middle school science teachers, said about half the students entering his class each year had little knowledge of evolutionary theory.

"In many cases, they've never been exposed to the basic facts about fossils and the universe," he said. "I think there's already formal and informal discouragements to teaching evolution in public school."

The statewide dispute here follows a similar battle two years ago in Cobb County, a fast-growing suburb north of Atlanta. In that case, the Cobb County school board approved a policy to allow schools to teach "disputed views" on the origins of man, referring to creationism, although the decision was later softened by the schools superintendent, who instructed teachers to follow the state curriculum.

Eric Meikle of the National Center for Science Education said several other states currently omit the word "evolution" from their science standards. In Alabama, the state board of education voted in 2001 to place disclaimers on biology textbooks to describe evolution as a controversial theory.

"This kind of thing is happening all the time, in all parts of the country," Mr. Meikle said.

Dr. Francisco J. Ayala, the author of a 1999 report by the National Academy of Sciences titled "Science and Creationism," vehemently opposes including the discussion of alternative ideas of species evolution.

"Creation is not science, so it should not be taught in science class," said Dr. Ayala, a professor of genetics at the University of California at Irvine. "We don't teach astrology instead of astronomy or witchcraft practices instead of medicine."

But Keith Delaplane, a professor of entomology at the University of Georgia, says the wholesale rejection of alternative theories of evolution is unscientific.

"My opinion is that the very nature of science is openness to alternative explanations, even if those explanations go against the current majority," said Professor Delaplane, a proponent of intelligent-design theory, which questions the primacy of evolution's role in natural selection. "They deserve at least a fair hearing in the classroom, and right now they're being laughed out of the arena."

[Xandax]

All I can say is .... LOL @ this.

Such religous people never stops baffeling me.

"Evolution" was replaced with "changes over time," and in another phrase that referred to the "long history of the Earth," the authors removed the word "long." Many proponents of creationism say Earth is at most several thousand years old, based on a literal reading of the Bible.

ROFL.


Okay - now I stop laughing - it is fightning how ignorant people are willing to be, just in the name of religion. I fear for the furture of mankind. Dark ages - here we come.

[smass]

In the context of some other discussions on this forum I find this absolutely hilarious.

Where can I sign my 7 year old up for the "physics of Noah's Ark" class ? You know - the one where we quantify the interior volume necessary for a boat to house a male and female specimen of each and every land based species on the earth along with the necessary food and water to sustain them for 40 days and 40 nights.

Honestly - what is so threatening about understanding the differences between symbolism in theology and science in the classroom?

Ignorance is bliss.

[Ned Flanders]

They must all be reading 'the tornado in the junkyard' in Georgia.

smass,

I took that class way back and all I really got out of it was the boat was real big. It all wound up being a big waste of space though because I guess Noah and company ate all the animals during that 40 day tsunami. Rumor has it, the rhino tips were to die for.

On topic, I find this laughable. Is Ms. Cox aware there might be children in the georgia school system with religious values other than christianity. Growing up, I spent time in Catholic and public school systems. In Catholic school, I can remember very well covering evolution/darwinism in biology and creationism in religion classes. It was up to each student to make their own interpretations.

Futhermore, I don't really see how eliminating teaching evolution in the public school system is going to "bolster" creationism. Is religion being taught in public schools these days or are we to presume that all students enrolled in public schools also attend sunday school.

[dragon wench]

Originally posted by Smass
Where can I sign my 7 year old up for the "physics of Noah's Ark" class ? You know - the one where we quantify the interior volume necessary for a boat to house a male and female specimen of each and every land based species on the earth along with the necessary food and water to sustain them for 40 days and 40 nights.

Originally posted by Ned Flanders
I took that class way back and all I really got out of it was the boat was real big. It all wound up being a big waste of space though because I guess Noah and company ate all the animals during that 40 day tsunami. Rumor has it, the rhino tips were to die for.

ROFL!

In seriousness, I always thought it would be interesting to have comparative theory/belief classes in all school curricula. For example, examining notions like the Christian creation myth as a highly metaphorical and literary rendering of Evolutionary theory (before anybody accuses me of it, no I am not suggesting they are one and the same ). Also, from what I recall reading, Hindu creationist beliefs closely parallel modern scientific theories on 'The Big Bang.'
Those sorts of interconnections have always fascinated me.

[Grendel]

Originally posted by Ned Flanders
<snip>

Futhermore, I don't really see how eliminating teaching evolution in the public school system is going to "bolster" creationism. Is religion being taught in public schools these days or are we to presume that all students enrolled in public schools also attend sunday school.

There is as you are no doubt aware a strong bible-bashing influence in the South. I don't think the absence of evolution would a priori bolster creaionism. The issue to my mind is responsibility and integrity in teaching the next generation. Ought we not teach certain aspects of chemistry and physics lest we refer to the distasteful topic of nuclear weapons? Or man setting foot on the moon? To do so would instill ignorance about aspects of world history and where/why teflon was developed and applied to your frying pan. IMO selective ommission of curricula material it is criminal negligence. Students, as mentioned can make their own informed decision as to what they want to believe.

...at least that way everyone will get the joke of the little fish-with-legs symbol seen on the backs of cars....

[Scayde]

Originally posted by dragon wench
ROFL!

In seriousness, I always thought it would be interesting to have comparative theory/belief classes in all school curricula. For example, examining notions like the Christian creation myth as a highly metaphorical and literary rendering of Evolutionary theory (before anybody accuses me of it, no I am not suggesting they are one and the same ). Also, from what I recall reading, Hindu creationist beliefs closely parallel modern scientific theories on 'The Big Bang.'
Those sorts of interconnections have always fascinated me.

I agree.

Personally I have always been fascinated in the way the ancients grasped such complex concepts so accurately and were able to disciminate their theories to their respective peoples in such intricate and beautiful metaphoric fashion. IMO, the religious texts are some of the greatest literature to be found.

I was blessed with a wonderful Jr. High science teacher who rather ingeniously resolved the conflict for a number of troubled students by explaining to them how there is no reason you can not believe in 'Creation', while understanding that "God" used 'evolution as a tool. That the world went through an infancy, grew, and is in the process of maturing. As an adult hardly resembles the infant, so the earth as we know it..is fastly different than it was in the beginning. I know it is very simplistic, but he was able to teach scientific theory to a group of religeously fundamental kids with out any more arguements that year. I was greatly impressed with him as a teacher.

[Curdis]

The last superpower prepares it's children for nuclear responsible world governance by insulting their intellect and preaching ignorance. Duck and Cover. - Curdis !

P.S. This is why I can't ever resist a tussle with the forces of darkness. Repent for your end is nigh !

P.P.S Where does the B.B.O.C. explain life on Mars? That sure threw a spanner into the literal book and the explosion in a junk yard business.

[Tom]

SIAT (shacking in abject terror)

not laughing at all.

Dark ages indeed.

[fable]

Come on, now. First off, it's a *proposed* set of guidelines, and not mandatory on teachers, even if the guidelines were accepted. Stuff like this gets thrown around every time a major election year is looming. All the officials who want to stay in office eagerly line up on the side of Mom, Apple Pie and Country. Next year at this time all those proposals will be quietly shelved, and no one will pay them any attention, in any case.

I also hope nobody here is going to use the opportunity to go in for a little Southern bashing. From what I've seen, quite a few Southerners are both devoutly religious Christians and also extremely intelligent people. And coming from a person who's a Wiccan, you know I won't be handing out false compliments on that score.

[Grendel]

Originally posted by fable
Come on, now. First off, it's a *proposed* set of guidelines, and not mandatory on teachers, even if the guidelines were accepted. Stuff like this gets thrown around every time a major election year is looming. All the officials who want to stay in office eagerly line up on the side of Mom, Apple Pie and Country. Next year at this time all those proposals will be quietly shelved, and no one will pay them any attention, in any case.

<snip>

When faced with ignorance it is important to stamp down hard. One never knows when such "guidelines" might be held up as a pardigm to other States to adopt similar statutes. From guidelines to partial, or even sporadic implementation is just a matter of patience. No, IMO such undermining of knowledge is dangerous and must be opposed at any level.

[fable]

Originally posted by Grendel
When faced with ignorance it is important to stamp down hard. One never knows when such "guidelines" might be held up as a pardigm to other States to adopt similar statutes.

You make this sound like it's something new, but it's been going on in exactly this same form for over one hundred years. Despite that, the US still doesn't have states that forbid the teaching of evolution. It's just rampant electoral silliness, and never sticks. Just look at any of the state constitutions or local community board of education rules. Really: the US has its wacko, "neo-conservative" radical element, but it's margnialized (except in times of war--same as elsewhere). I think the international press makes too big a deal of that. It's forgotten that Dubya didn't get elected on any of the platforms he currently espouses: he went into the election swearing that he was a moderate and a consensus builder. That was how he racked up enough popularity to barely lose the election--not by claiming he was going to abrogate international environmental treaties and try to launch a new Crusade.

Now, If you're really looking to stamp out willful ignorance in schools, with textbooks that have actually been altered to fit something other than the facts, why not look to the history books of many nations? Consider, for example, campaigning to force Japanese schools to teach what the government and troops did during WWII--the policy of creating whorehouses for soldiers populated with female Korean prisoners gathered from their homes, for example. Or the massacres of whole Chinese towns and villages. More than 50 years after the event, and the schoolbooks still insist on the idealized honor and ethics of the Japanese soldier during WWII. Many Asian countries have protested over this, to no avail.

That's just one example, one nation; we can go down a list that includes the US, if you'd like. My point is that instead of mislabeling mad-dog madness that strikes the US everytime a major election appears on the horizon, a true focus on willful ignorance taught to children in schools would focus upon national history--that area where all nations are most vulnerable, and most likely to generate dangerous myths.

[Grendel]

@Fable

Perhaps I am mistaken but I think we are arguing the same position. It has indeed be going on for almost a hundred years (actually I think there was a famous case in the US, circa 1920s where a teacher was put on trial for teaching evolution). There was a film made too about it in the 50s or 60s. My point is that while I care that evolution be taught, the bigger issue is manipulation of fact in general to cater to local clientel. As you say, history re-writes are a manifestation of the same problem. As was done on the 1920s, and as now, these "proposals" need to be actively opposed to prevent a culture of loose interpretations of knowledge selection for the next generation. We do ourselves no favors by dumbing down our kids, no matter what reason is used to 'justify" it.

Let's face it, there were dinosaurs and they did smoke..

[fable]

Originally posted by Grendel
As you say, history re-writes are a manifestation of the same problem. As was done on the 1920s, and as now, these "proposals" need to be actively opposed to prevent a culture of loose interpretations of knowledge selection for the next generation. We do ourselves no favors by dumbing down our kids, no matter what reason is used to 'justify" it.

I think we need to pick our fights (says the poster boy for zealous advocacy ). The whole evolution-in-schools argument is a non-issue, IMO, because politicians only use 'em to seem close to the religious far right and garner votes. Once elections are over, the proposals vanish: why put your resources into fighting a phantom that will vanish after November?

It has indeed be going on for almost a hundred years (actually I think there was a famous case in the US, circa 1920s where a teacher was put on trial for teaching evolution). There was a film made too about it in the 50s or 60s.

The Scopes Trial. The film has quite a bit of fiction in it, aside from the very basic facts. I read up on it, and once had the pleasure of actually viewing a live, lengthy interview with Scopes himself, a few years before his death. He laughed at the play and the film. It seems that both sides in the trial viewed it dispassionately; the emotional rhetoric was for the benefit of the locals and the press. They got together beforehand to establish a test case that would force the US legal system to consider the issue. Scopes offered to teach evolution, and the two sides agreed to use it. That's not to say Scopes thought the issue of teaching evolution was unimportant, but what it showed was what we already knew: the American legal system refuses to recognize any attempt to curtail the discussion of scientific fact in appropriate teaching institutions and classes.

So maybe we should focus more on those books that never get challenged--the histories in all nations, not just the US, which paint its governments and military in glowing colors, and all their activities as the efforts of white knights riding to save the day.

[Curdis]

Originally posted by fable
I think we need to pick our fights (says the poster boy for zealous advocacy ). The whole evolution-in-schools argument is a non-issue, IMO, because politicians only use 'em to seem close to the religious far right and garner votes. Once elections are over, the proposals vanish: why put your resources into fighting a phantom that will vanish after November?

First off I don't think what I write on Gamebanshee is going to change a whole lot of any hill of beans. Secondly I agree with you, there are fights which need to be fought everywhere, not least of all in Australia (where as you know I reside).

However there have been States in America where teaching Evolution has been curtailed or essentially prohibited (and the value of pi assigned to 3). There have been Textbooks altered and/or banned. There is a highly organised and unrelenting campaign to have Fundamentalists elected to school boards so they can adjust cirriculums and pressure for the teaching of Creationism (To America and a small but dediacated bunch of skeptics like James Randi's credit these anomolies are quickly found and eventually thwarted). I still don't think this is a 'non-issue'. I'm also certain that it won't just dissappear in November, although this particular proposal might.

This issue is (as you have said) just a powder puff and all our learned members have been doing is saying yuk (or having a good old laugh).

As you raised the Japanesse issue it is probably worth pointing out that one result of the invasion of Iraq is the first use of armed Japanesse Troops off mainland Japan, an act that is prohibited in their constitution. Not only that but the Japanesse leader has been visiting war memorials (some to the administrators and architects of the horrors you catalogue) despite this being considered highly offensive by the Chinesse in particular. What are we going to do on GB though? I hardly expect the US to invade Japan (again) and I for one aren't asking. - Curdis !

[fable]

However there have been States in America where teaching Evolution has been curtailed or essentially prohibited (and the value of pi assigned to 3).

In what states of the US has evolution been curtailed or prohibited? After Tennessee's attempt got booted out with Scopes, I can't think of one.

[VoodooDali]

I got this from About.com, but I thought it made a lot of sense:

"Teaching creationism or Intelligent Design (vs. evolution) matters because, in one way or another, they all undermine basic science education in at least two ways. The first and most obvious way is the manner in which an education about biology and evolution is diluted, if not eliminated. Evolutionary theory is the central organizing principle of the biological sciences, and understanding it is crucial to understanding biology in an overall and general sense. Restricting students' ability to learn about evolution has the consequence of restricting their ability to learn about biology and incorporate what they do learn into a coherent, organized whole.

The above strategies also have a more profound impact on science education which goes beyond biology. All of them communicate the idea that there is something lacking or something wrong with evolutionary theory, an idea which is not actually true from a scientific standpoint. What this means, then, is that students can develop very mistaken beliefs about the nature of science, the scientific method, and how scientific research is used. This cheats students out of the proper science education which they deserve.

Attempts to use the law to restrict or dilute the teaching of evolution in public schools matters because science matters. As society relies more and more heavily on science and technology on ever more fundamental levels, it becomes increasingly more important that all citizens receive a proper grounding in science and the scientific method. In effect, science education is becoming a part of what it means to be a well-informed and well-educated citizen of today; therefore, any effort to temper science education in order to placate a vocal religious group cheats the students, cheats society, and cheats our future."

[Grendel]

Originally posted by VoodooDali
I got this from About.com, but I thought it made a lot of sense:

<snip>

Excellent. Rather succintly sums up my jibberish posts.

[Curdis]

Originally posted by fable
In what states of the US has evolution been curtailed or prohibited? After Tennessee's attempt got booted out with Scopes, I can't think of one.

When and where?

Arkansas 1981 - Act 590 of 1981 State of Arkansas 73rd General Assembly Regular Session 1981, Made law March 1981. Overturned by William R. Overton January 1982 - Maclean verses the Arkanasa Board of Education.

Louisiana 1981 - Jul 1981 'Balanced Treatment Act' made law - Declared Unconstituational in 1983 - Overturned on Appeal 1985 - Thrown out Supreme Court 1987 (Unconstitutional - 1st amendment)

And what of - "Censorship of school science textbooks in the USA has been sucessfully practiced by creationists for more than 50 years" Scientific American 1976:33-39

California 1925 - Board of Education determination - word 'Evolution' not to be used.

California 1978 - Board of Education determination - equal time to be given to all alternatives - not overturned until 1981

California 1981 - Textbook "Biology" not approved unless Evolutionary 'dogma' removed.

Texas 1983 - A group known as 'the Gablers' succeed in rejecting 28 of the 49 proposed texts for use in Texas which amounts to having them rejected across the USA as publishers are only going to publish a single edition.

Texas 1984 - History Textbook 'World History: A Basic Approach' forced to be amended so that 'millions of years ago' was qualified to 'some scientist say *snip* millions of years ago".

California 1990 - Emma C. Smith Elementary School, Livermore, California, School Board - 'balanced treatment'.

If I was an American parent and I had not been aware that this had been going on, despite the now frequently tested protection of the 1st amendment, for well over 75 years, in a determined and deliberate campaign I would (knowing just the above) be angry. I would have thought that the above despite being only a very small sample of what's been going on to try and twist young minds is enough to make me VERY concerned about any election and what was coming out of candidates mouths. Unfortunately most Americans don't vote, either at school board elections or presidential ones.

I don't have any answers but I do think this is a real problem (as the problem the Japanesse seem to have with textbooks is also). - Curdis !

[boo's daddy]

I think you can distinguish between the Japanese example and Evolution on the grounds that religious fundamentalism is involved.

A society that believes in the separation of church and state should never tolerate religious interference with state education.

With the Japanese example, you could argue that all states give a "biased" view of history in their education systems. Is there any other kind?

You won't find too many British history lessons which cover our use of concentration camps during the Boer War; American and Australian cultures seem to have only recently acknowledged the atrocities perpetrated against their native populations.