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Pardon me, Nancy, but with respect, I must say I'm just not buying a lot of
your arguments.

Here's why:

-----Original Message-----
From: Nancy VanBeek [mailto:[log in to unmask]] 
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 5:16 PM

"We have learned that working to create meaningful informal education
experiences across cultures demands an approach based on mutual respect
and trust, one that validates and honors cultural and inherited
knowledge in the same manner as scientific knowledge."  
================================

Respecting differences does not mean "accepting everything your culture
holds as correct" or "avoiding anything that might challenge your world
view." Yegads, here are just a few reasons why not:

* Take a look at the vast list you provide below of different cultures. Is
"validating and honoring" one of those sets of cultural beliefs
disrespecting and invalidating another set of beliefs? How do we manage the
contradictions between them?

* How about when those beliefs conflict with science? People are free to
believe that the world is 5,000 years old, or that women have more ribs than
men, or that the earth is the center of the universe or that astrology can
predict the future, and we don't have to pin a scarlet letter on them for
that when they enter our museums. But don't expect us to avoid pointing out
the evidence that conflicts with those views.
 
*When did we enter an "everyone must feel good about all of their beliefs at
all times" mode? Are we never to present anything that might *gasp!*
challenge a visitor's preconceived notions or cause them to think about
things in a new way? Then we may as well not just throw out evolution.
Forget, for example, any kind of environmental/ecology programs or exhibits.
Because some visitors might have inherited knowledge about how nothing's
wrong with conspicuous consumption, and pointing out the consequences of
such might not establish mutual trust.

*And aren't there some beliefs you DO want to exclude? What about some
(mercifully fringe) religious sects whose beliefs aren't being respected
because you allow women to work at/visit your center in sinfully revealing
clothing. Do you take steps to validate that belief system, too? If not,
where do you draw the line at which ones to validate and which ones not to?
Isn't it easier to just say "We're here to do science, and everyone can join
in" and trust visitors to handle their own cultural concerns? 

===============================
The exchange of ideas on the topic of creation seems to show that an
inclusive science center is a nice idea, as long as those who think
differently are excluded. 
=============================

Again, I'm not buying this.

This debate has gotten far afield indeed if science centers are considered
to "exclude those who think differently" because we present science, but
don't stop to think "what about those who believe science is hooey? We must
treat their values as equal."

Sagan said it best: if you consider all opinions to have equal value, then
you consider all opinions to have no value.

==========================
The ideas expressed also make a joke of the
conflict regarding ASTC 2004 scheduling of its conference during Rosh
Hashanah.  The thought seems to be we respect your holiday, but not your
right to believe in what you are celebrating.
==========================

As one of the instigators of said conflict, I don't see that as the case. I
don't feel my beliefs disrespected in any way shape or form because my
science center is open on Rosh Hashanah. Jewish visitors can always come
back another day. The ASTC conference, on the other hand, happens once a
year, and is planned well in advance, and ought to consider its scheduling
to avoid potential conflicts, because it's a one-shot deal, and so valuable
to people in our field.

I don't expect or need science centers to defend my religious beliefs.
That's what my synagogue and the ADL are for, and I can assure you I feel no
disrespect to my religion because science centers don't accommodate
creationist beliefs. Talking about evolution is no statement of militant
atheism or blanket condemnation of religion.
 
============
The list of cultures that are being excluded is very comprehensive. Here
are just a few of the cultures that believe in creation; Islamic,
Hindus, the Indigenous people of Australia, Jewish, Greek Orthodox,
Mennonites, Mormons, Evangelical Christians, Catholics, Lakota (Sioux),
Cherokee, Navajo and many African religions. Sioux Falls has more then
forty-three languages and cultures represented in its school system, of
which just a few are listed above, all want to be accepted no matter
what their culture or belief system. 
===============

Excluded? Hardly. "Believing in creation" does not equal creationism. I
can't speak for most of those on your list, but all mainstream Jewish
denominations have no problem with evolution. (I also know that Catholicism
has no beef with it, either.)

Leaving the theology to religious institutions and sticking to science is
not excluding people.
 
=======================
Science centers want to attract these diverse cultures to science.
Attacking their belief systems does not seem to be the best way to do
that.  However we can encourage everyone to explore science. To the
creationists, the evolutionists and everyone in between or on the side,
we say, "You're right we don't know all the answers. We can only go with
what we currently know. We encourage you to become a scientist and help
discover the truth."
=============================

"We don't know all the answers" does not mean "we know none of the answers",
nor "all possible answers have equal merit."

Look, I'm not advocating "attacking" anyone. If someone asks me a question
that seems to show they believe in creationism or in ESP, I'm not going to
call them a friggin moron or tell them to get out.

But if someone says that evolution violates the laws of thermodynamics, I'm
gonna explain to them that this simply isn't true because of the energy the
earth gets from an outside source, the sun.

If someone tells me that homeopathic medicines work because they took some
and soon the headache was gone, I'll explain to them that headaches go away
eventually even if you take NO medicine, and that before we can say a
treatment "works" it has to be tested in a certain way, with controls and
lack of bias. And that homeopathic remedies have been tested in this manner,
and have been shown to do the same as doing nothing.

I do them no favors by avoiding those explanations and simply saying "Well,
I don't have all the answers, I encourage you to keep looking for the
truth." That offers them nothing; people come to science centers because
they want to learn about science. Being afraid to offer any (for fear of
offense or any other reason) is not helpful.
 
===================
The question should not be, how do science centers force people to
agree, but rather, how can a science center create an environment where
people are invited to enjoy and explore the world of science.
===================

I don't have to force anyone to agree, they can believe whatever they want,
but they can't explore the world of science, and thus enjoy it, if we don't
offer it up. 
 
==============
One last Nov/Dec 2004 ASTC Dimensions quote "To be successful in our
quest for full inclusion, we all have much more work to do."
==============

That's so, but including doesn't mean a separate but equal scenario, where
no one is forced to confront any unpleasant contradictions to their
worldview. That's exclusion. Exclusion from science, and exclusion from
other beliefs/cultures/ideas, maybe even exclusion from reality.

As I said, our main goal is presenting the science. I don't go to science
centers to bolster my religious beliefs, my political beliefs, my views on
romance, sports or food. I'll contend that almost all of our visitors hold
the same stance. Taking into account our visitors' backgrounds, culture,
previous experiences, approaching them in a way that's polite --- all to the
good. 

But I really don't think they come to us in search of science, and then want
us to give it to them in a guarded, half-hearted way. To use a bit of a
metaphor: I raised a stink about the scheduling of last year's conference, I
didn't say "Well, I could complain, but I better not because most of the
people in ASTC aren't Jewish." That's how I treat science, too. I don't
think "Better avoid the E word because some people don't accept it."

Look, I want to pre-emptively apologize to Nancy, because I know I often
seem... aggressive when posting to the listserve, and I really, really don't
mean to piss anyone off, and certainly not to diss her. I've been really
interested in reading what everyone has posted on this subject, and I've
learned a lot from them. 

The point I've been trying to make in the most long-winded manner imaginable
is that is that I've been able to gain new insight only because everyone has
told me their opinions frankly, as I've tried to do here. If you had been
overly concerned about excluding my opinion by voicing your own, I wouldn't
have gained from your insight, and we owe our visitors the same
forthrightness.

And if you think my view is full of it, by all means say so. I might learn
something.

Jonah Cohen
Outreach & Public Programs Manager
Science Center of Connecticut

"God grant me the company of those who seek the truth, and God deliver me
from those who have found it."

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