Yes, the whackjobs are coming out of the woodwork now (all emphasis added):
John Vanasselt, with the Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools, said there is no reason why Ontario shouldn’t join other provinces that make room for religious beliefs within the public education system.
The alliance’s 78 schools already teach evolution in science class, but it is taught on par with creationism, he said.
And why not, I say? It's only fair and balanced that rigorous, testable, verifiable science share the classroom with deranged, illiterate, fundamentalist crackpottery. Give the students "both sides," that's what I always say.
“Our position is that the creation story is the one we believe our children ought to learn,” Vanasselt said.
Yes, of course. That and the Great Flood and the seven plagues and those wacky ten commandments etched into stone and so on. Just turns out more well-rounded students, academically speaking. Otherwise, they end up all dry and boring and logical and start yammering on endlessly about "proof" and "evidence," know what I mean?
“(But) we don’t believe that we’re doing them any help if we don’t teach them the other ones that are out there either . . . . We live in a free country. There needs to be freedom of thought and freedom of expression. There isn’t just one official belief.”
That's right. There's two. No, I didn't say "more than two," I said "two." What part of "exactly two but no more than two" confuses you?
David Seljak, professor of religious studies at St. Jerome University at the University of Waterloo, said the teaching of creationism alongside evolution hasn’t been detrimental to students who are steeped in private, religious education.
There are private Christian universities that teach creationism and talk about the resurrection of the dead but still produce fine medical doctors, he said.
“The fear of these schools is exaggerated,” Seljak said. “That being said . . . it would have to be very closely monitored because people do all kinds of crazy things in the name of religion.”
No way. Get outta town. Really?
(Wag of the tail to the ever-observant Alison @ Creekside.)
4 comments:
This is how I would handle it:
"Okay, class, this year we will learn about both Creationism and the Theory of Evolution.
First, creationism: See everything? God made it all. If any of your friends have missed this class, please let them know about this. It may be on the exam.
We will spend the rest of the year studying and discussing The Theory of Evolution."
You couldn't get me to one of those creationist "fine medical doctors" even if the doctor paid me instead of the other way around.
You know, why don't we just start teaching Holocaust Denial, while we're at? I mean, that's the point of primary education, right? To make sure children grow up as screwy and confused as the people in charge these days.
Intelligent Falling... It's next.
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