ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
Dear Stephen, Martin, et al.,
The attack of U.S. fundamentalist christianity on evolution is a
pitched battle motivated by deep feelings. The defense is much weaker,
but also deeply felt. You are right that the anti-evolution sentiments
generally translate into strong anti-science feelings. The fighting is
unnecessary, destructive, and counterproductive. I am not
Judeo-Christian myself, but I have often tried to "lower the
battlements" by honoring Judeo-Christian values as I teach evolution.
One excellent example of this is a 27 minute movie called "Keeping the
Earth: religious and scientific perspectives on the environment." It is
produced by New Wrinkle Productions and available through the Union of
Concerned Scientists. It is a powerful piece that honors both sides in a
joint exploration of science and religion's understanding of "the
creation".
This piece is narrated by James Earl Jones. It features E.O.
Wilson, Jane Lubchenko, and other scientists alongside of
Judeo-Christian leaders and all of them are speaking compassionately to
the same end. It is very well done and is an instructive example of
culture-bridging pedagogy. It's been awhile since I ordered a copy, but
the Union of Concerned Scientists was selling it for $14.95 just a
couple of years ago. You can contact Jason Mathers:
[log in to unmask] or Nancy Cole: [log in to unmask] and inquire who is
handling their sales these days. The UCS phone number is: (800)
666-8276 and (617) 547-5552.
I wish us all the best in this critical culture-bridging effort.
Cheers!
Stefan Sommer
Dr. Stefan Sommer, Vice President
Association of College and University Museums and Galleries
<http://www.acumg.org>
Director of Education
Merriam Powell Center for Environmental Research <http://www.mpcer.nau.edu>
Associate Curator
Colorado Plateau Museum of Arthropod Biodiversity <http://bugs.bio.nau.edu>
Department of Biological Sciences <http://www3.nau.edu/biology>
Northern Arizona University
Campus Box 5640
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
(928) 523-4463 NAU office
(928) 214-6324 Home office
(928) 523-7500 fax
e-mail [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Stephen Uzzo wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
>
>
> I'd like to put forth a perhaps outlandish idea for discussion.
>
> First of all, maybe I'm missing something in this arguement, but last
> time I looked, absurd notions of "intelligent design" were patently
> rejected by the scientific community. I suspect that we need public
> schools to teach science, not mythology. If they're teaching
> creationism, they are teaching mythology. n'est pas?
>
> Conversely, Creationists have every right to object to the absence of
> religion in schools. they are correct that science has created a void in
> the belief system of some people, which perhaps science should help (or
> at least provide direction) to fill. But their motives and goals are
> misguided. The detractors of the science of evolution are not focusing
> on what is really needed in public schools in terms of religion, which
> is to include a strand on world religions in the social studies
> curriculum. Since mainstream religions have such a tremendous influence
> on world politics, war, and social justice issues it is utterly
> irresponsible that kids graduate from high school and have no idea the
> differences and similarities between Islam and Christianity, never mind
> Presbyterianism and Catholicism. Religion is barely mentioned in the
> social studies standards. This is a huge disservice to our youth and
> feeds the machinery of intolerance, violence, and war.
>
> So here's my evil plot: to fill the "gap" (give equal time, or whatever
> they want to call it) between creationism and evolution, perhaps a
> coalition of science orgainzations and social studies organizations
> should put together an initiative to include a thoughtful and balanced
> strand on world religions (this means all religions their history and
> political and social contexts) which can be integrated into public
> school curricula. Then, separatetly, a genuinely scientific and up to
> date (beyond Darwin, include punctual equilibrium, etc.) approach to
> teaching evolution. I bet there is grant money out there for developing
> something like this.
>
> Along with this, all self-respecting science organizations (ASTC,
> included) should make a consistent, strong, united stand on the issue,
> so no one is unsure where these organizations stand. By soft-pedaling or
> avoiding the issue we are tacitly compliant with the purveyors of
> Creationism. Perhaps we should all have an official statement on hand in
> case anyone working in a science center or association, or attending one
> is unsure. Am I a heretic?
>
> To all those who think this is off-topic, I respond well to slings and
> arrows!
>
> --
> Stephen Miles Uzzo
> New York Hall of Science
> Project Manager for Technology
> 47-01 111th Street
> Flushing Meadows Corona Park
> New York 11368 U.S.A.
> v. +1.718.699.0005 x377
> f. +1.718.699.1341
> http://www.nyscience.org
>
> "freedom and life are earned by those alone who conquer them each day
> anew."
> - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
>
>
>
>
> Fisher, Martin wrote:
>
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
>> Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
>> institutions.
>> *****************************************************************************
>>
>>
>> This email came to me from an environmental education group (The
>> National Environmental Education and Training Foundation,
>> http://www.neetf.org/ ), but it is certainly applicable and important
>> to those of us in ASTC and the science center field.
>>
>>
>> Martin S. Fisher
>> Director of Education
>> Nauticus, the National Maritime Center
>> One Waterside Drive
>> Norfolk, VA 23510
>> 36°50'51"N 76°17'53"W 13 ft.
>> phone: (757) 664-1003, (800) 664-1080 ext. 41003
>> fax: (757) 623-1287 cell (757) 617-7080
>> [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>> www.nauticus.org <http://www.nauticus.org>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Kevin Coyle [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>> Sent: Monday, April 12, 2004 9:28 PM
>> To: Kevin Coyle
>> Subject: Ecology, EE and the classroom "creationism wars"
>>
>>
>>
>> To our colleagues:
>>
>> Since January 1, 2004 at least four more state public education
>> programs - Georgia, Missouri, Ohio, and Oklahoma -- have become
>> further embroiled in the debate of why evolution is taught as actual
>> science and the concept of "intelligent design" or creationism is
>> not. The April/May edition of NSTA Reports has a feature article on
>> recent developments in this move to give equal time to creationism.
>>
>> Public treatments of this issue range from attempts at the deletion
>> of references to evolution in state science standards (GA) to state
>> bills providing for the immediate termination of an educator who
>> willfully neglects to teach "intelligent design" as a scientific
>> principle (MO). The Oklahoma House passed a "disclaimer" law, 96-0,
>> which frames evolution as follows:" "No one was present when life
>> first appeared on Earth. Therefore, any statement about life's
>> origins should be considered as theory, not fact."
>>
>> This movement has, in some fashion, now affected a majority of states
>> in the nation and ultimately positions ecological and environmental
>> education as secular and perhaps even anti-religious. This has
>> particular implications for the official public standing of nature,
>> ecology and biodiversity education -- texts, lesson plans, field
>> trips, curricula, professional development andmore. Many of our
>> colleagues in the environmental and conservation field may want to
>> know more about this ongoing movement. See, for example:
>> http://www.natcenscied.org/ or www.nsta.org
>>
>> Best, Kevin Coyle
>> www.neetf.org
>>
>> ***********************************************************************
>> More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
>> Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at
>> http://www.astc.org.
>> To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
>> message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
>> [log in to unmask]
>>
>
> ***********************************************************************
> More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
> Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at
> http://www.astc.org.
> To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
> message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
> [log in to unmask]
>
***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
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