Re: Challenges to teaching biology

 I personally do not know of a single K-12 science teacher who teaches
science as a naturalistic philosophy. Most are Christians themselves.

This is a good thing. Maybe we need to hear more of the individual stories
of teachers like these. I wonder, though, if this differs regionally. My
brother is a high school social studies teacher in the northeast. The
science teacher in his school is an atheist and uses the teaching of
evolution to mock students of faith Dawkins-style. I think this happens far
more often than we'd like to think in public schools in many parts of the
country.

What is occurring is disruptive student behavior and the refusal to hear
arguments.

As to disruptive behavior, I agree with you, it should not be tolerated.
But as a dad with kids who are starting to approach junior high age, I'm
still very concerned about stifling students who will dare to question
orthodoxy. Probably in any other subject, we'd accept and even applaud
respectful but vigorous challenges from students. When the social studies
teacher suggests all values are merely relative, when the health teacher
suggests teenage sexuality should be fully explored without limits, when the
literature teacher suggests self-expression is the highest human value --
and many teachers in many public schools do suggest all these things and
more -- we should want our kids to question and challenge. I don't see why
the methods and claims of science should be off limits to such questions and
challenges.

On 4/3/06, Keith Miller <kbmill@ksu.edu> wrote:
> > The sad truth is, we are losing on both fronts. I dont know what
> > the greater challenge is, getting old earth creationism in our
> > churches, or allowing a discussion in schools that says that
> > evolution does not equate with naturalism.
>
>
> The latter discussion CAN, and does, occur in the public schools.
> It is part of communicating the nature and limitations of science, as
> well as the history and philosophy of science. The good teachers do
> it already. I personally do not know of a single K-12 science
> teacher who teaches science as a naturalistic philosophy. Most are
> Christians themselves. Unfortunately many YEC kids (and their
> parents) simply equate any teaching of evolution as the teaching of
> atheism, even when the teachers have explicitly indicated their own
> faith and the compatibility of evolutionary science and faith. I
> know many cases like this.
>
> Keith
>
>
>
Received on Mon Apr 3 11:57:44 2006