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Sentell explains that the bill "would allow science teachers to use supplemental materials, in addition to state-issued textbooks, on issues like
evolution, global warming and human cloning. The aim of such materials, the bill says, is to promote 'critical thinking skills, logical analysis and
open and objective discussion of scientific theories being studied,' including evolution." Bill sponsor Sen. Ben Nevers (D-Bogalusa) explained: "I
just believe that it is important that supplemental scientific information be able to be brought into the school system."
I wonder just what other "supplemental materials" they have in mind? The bible perhaps? I don't know of any "supplemental scientific information"
that supports the creation theory.
While it would be nice to let the Louisiana school districts decide whether or not they want creationism taught in school, its simply not acceptable
in a science class. The problem is that teachers are as opinionated as anyone, and every teacher is going to be bent on pushing their agenda in their
classroom.
Anyone who's been through public school in America knows this. We've all had our liberal nutbag teachers and our conservative lunatic teachers, each
who would spend more of the class hour talking about their particular politics than what they were supposed too. I'll never forget our IB calculus
teacher who spent several entire lessons one week attempting to mathematically disprove evolution and pushing the young earth creation theory.
The sad fact is these teachers are going to teach what
they believe, and in the end its just going to confuse and mislead students. The people
who will suffer the most through all of this are Louisiana students, who by the time they graduate highschool won't know a 4.5 billion year old earth
from a 5000 year old earth.
I believe a great compromise for the Louisiana school districts would be to allow teaching creationism in science at the elementary and middle school
levels, but only teach evolution in science at the highschool level. That way students can see both points of view during their formative years, but
when they grow up and start to become adults they can be educated like adults. Separate creationism into a world religions class (which could, and
should, be mandatory), and leave evolution to the science classroom.
