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
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