Legal help concerning the omission of evolution in highschool biology.

This year, as a senior, I am taking a basic Biology course. I am deeply familiar with the theories of evolution, and in fact wish to further my studies of biology in college. However, my current teacher has always omitted the sections concerning evolution. I go to school in West Virginia, and just with a few clicks I was able to see the course requirements from the West Virginia Department of Education. It does in fact require the teaching of said sections in the book.

wvde.state.wv.us...
(Edit : Grade 10 Biology - Standard 2)

Can anyone give me some sort of direction as to where to go from here? If anything has to be done I'd rather it be anonymously. If anyone has any experience like this please lend a hand! Help promote quality education!


(PS - This is really one of my first times posting here at ATS. I post rarely because I normally have no valuable input. I seek to learn what I can. I've done my best to make this as professional and understandable as possible, please don't flame for lack of research or otherwise.)

[edit on 15-1-2009 by PieKeeper]

reply to post by PieKeeper


Best place to start:
ncseweb.org...

National Center for Science Education
Are you facing a challenge to evolution education? Please feel free to write or call NCSE for advice!

email: [email protected]
phone (toll free): 1-800-290-6006 or 510-601-7203


[edit on 1/15/2009 by Pauligirl]

I would talk to your principal. My boyfriend is a senior in Western Maryland and he took bio as a Junior. They didn't officially learn evolution, either.
I took bio sophomore year and we did learn it, although we learned it more in zoology. I go to school in Connecticut, though, so things are different.

But yeah, talk to your principal or guidance counselor, if you get along well with any of them.

You're not going to like my answer, but consider it as advice given with the best intentions.

Since you are wanting to tackle this problem anonymously, I assume you are a bit fearful of either hurting an otherwise good teacher or being targeted as a troublemaker. If you go the normal legal route, you will not be able to forgo either of those possibilities. You will not remain anonymous.

My daughter asked a similar question of me when she entered high school. She has serious doubts about evolutionary theory as proposed at present. Her question was: "What do I do if I have to write an essay about evolution? I don't want to say I agree with something I do not agree with, but I don't want to make a bad grade for saying it's wrong when the book says it's right."

My response? "If that happens, go ahead and write the essay according to what the book claims, but preface your essay with the phrase 'According to the textbook...'. You do need to understand the theory whether or not you agree with it."

My point was, and is, that no amount of teaching, no lawsuit, no argument will ever determine what is and is not a sound physical theory. Only time and research will allow us to ultimately determine what is true and what is not. That will require people with critical thoughtful insight into evidence presented and the drive to learn all they can learn and let the truth fall where it may. You have the textbook; study on your own if you want to learn more about evolutionary theory. You'll have to study on your own when you graduate anyway, as universities are not known for force-feeding students.

If you want to share your beliefs on the theory with the rest of the class, simply read ahead on those chapters and then, should the opportunity arise in a classroom discussion, bring it up. "I was reading in this chapter and noticed the book says...." You may well start a conversation between your teacher and your classmates that out-informs any boring lecture he/she could have given.

There are always ways to bring your point to the attention of others without being confrontational. THAT is a skill that will serve you very well throughout life; I highly recommend you start practicing it now.

Good luck on your studies!

TheRedneck

P.S.: I implore others to not turn this into a creation vs. evolution thread. I don't think that is why the question was asked.

At least I hope it isn't.

If you choose to go ahead and blow the whistle on this teacher, would you be kind enough to report on this thread what steps you take, and how the authorities respond? I'm sure I'm not the only one who would be interested.

I say go ahead and do it. A teacher who drops part of the school syllabus because of his own religious beliefs cannot by any stretch of the imagination be called a good teacher.

Teachers shouldn't mix religion with science. They don't mix.

I would also recommend telling your school's principle about it. A teacher that doesn't tell you all points of view isn't a good teacher. Omitting theories of evolution won't help you learn much about biology. Biology is about evolution in some respects.