Here is a story out of Georgia (h/t to PZ) that is mighty interesting. As part of a two-day public symposium event, area teachers attended a workshop focused on the challenges of teaching evolution. There are quite a few war stories to swap out there!
Some students burst into tears when a high school biology told them they’d be studying evolution. Another teacher said some students repeatedly screamed “no†when he began talking about it.
Other teachers said students demanded to know whether they pray and questioned why the had to learn about evolution if it was just a theory.
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“I’ve seen churches train students to come to school with specific questions to ask to sabotage my lessons,†said Bonnie Pratt, a biology teacher at Northview High in north Fulton County. “We need parents and the community to understand why and how we teach evolution.â€
Here is the Emory University webpage about this workshop. Here is a story about what the keynote speaker E.O. Wilson had to say.
Last week a few members of Florida Citizens for Science gave presentations concerning evolution education at the Florida Association of Science Teachers. Jonathan Smith reports that some folks approached him and the other FCS presenters to ask about having an event similar to the Georgia one. No promises, but we will see what we can do.
Freshman Caitlin Wade said the activity helped her realize she can balance her religious beliefs with her love of science. “I can pray, read my Bible and study science,†she said. “I don’t have to choose.â€
This is the goal, in a nutshell. If evangelicals can come to accept dealing with climate change as part of good stewardship over the Earth, I hold out hope that they can come to accept evolution as part of God’s world.
Brandon, don’t forget that the members and advisors of the Clergy Letter Project would be a good resource for something like this.
“I hold out hope that they can come to accept evolution as part of God’s world.”
It would be even better if they accepted evolution as part of science and left their magic fairy out of it. This is the 21st century for goodness sakes, not the Dark Ages.
“Some students burst into tears when a high school biology teacher told them they’d be studying evolution.”
This is what Christianity has given the world. Young people who become mentally disturbed when science conflicts with their religious brainwashing.
Well, I don’t believe this to be a problem with Christianity per se. I think the problem is with the biblical literalists who cannot tell the difference between religion and reality. When taken in the appropriate context, I see no problem with the Christian religion. The problem is that a very vocal minority of Christians are attempting to force their dogmatic world view on others, even when this world view runs counter to observable evidence in the world around us.
That is the crux of the debate of evolution versus creation. Should we believe something written in a book thousands of years ago as irrefutable fact, or should we strive to better understand the world by studying it outside of any previous assumptions?
Most of the Christians that I know have no problem with evolution or with science. It is a very vocal minority who gives the rest of Christians a bad name.