2005-08-15
Evolution: Just teach it
Yeah, Dammit!
One of the patron saints (to use a religous metaphor) of those of us who are sick to death of the religious fanatics destroying this country, Eugenie C. Scott, and Glenn Branch, both from the National Center for Science Education write a badly needed op-ed in USA Today.
USATODAY.com - Evolution: Just teach it: "What ought to be taught in high school science class? The basic methods and results of the consensus view of the scientific community. Evolution is part, and a vital part, of this consensus; creation science and intelligent design are not. Students should understand evolution, both if they are going on to college and for general scientific literacy. But in too many places across the country, students are not learning it.
And that's a problem, because it is widely recognized that the 21st century will be the century of biology, in which genomic, medical and biotechnological discoveries are bound to revolutionize our economy and our lives - and those of our children. America needs to produce the scientists who will pioneer in these fields, which means maintaining and improving the quality of science education - including a healthy dose of evolution, uncompromised by sectarian dogma, bad science and fake 'critical analysis.' Because those high school kids in India, China, Korea and Singapore are learning evolution, even if ours aren't."
Nod to Pharyngula
One of the patron saints (to use a religous metaphor) of those of us who are sick to death of the religious fanatics destroying this country, Eugenie C. Scott, and Glenn Branch, both from the National Center for Science Education write a badly needed op-ed in USA Today.
USATODAY.com - Evolution: Just teach it: "What ought to be taught in high school science class? The basic methods and results of the consensus view of the scientific community. Evolution is part, and a vital part, of this consensus; creation science and intelligent design are not. Students should understand evolution, both if they are going on to college and for general scientific literacy. But in too many places across the country, students are not learning it.
And that's a problem, because it is widely recognized that the 21st century will be the century of biology, in which genomic, medical and biotechnological discoveries are bound to revolutionize our economy and our lives - and those of our children. America needs to produce the scientists who will pioneer in these fields, which means maintaining and improving the quality of science education - including a healthy dose of evolution, uncompromised by sectarian dogma, bad science and fake 'critical analysis.' Because those high school kids in India, China, Korea and Singapore are learning evolution, even if ours aren't."
Nod to Pharyngula
