Thursday, November 29, 2007

ID revisited

The Texas Education Agency’s director of science curriculum was suspended for (and has since resigned over) circulating an "anti-Intelligent Design" email. (here)

The real issue seems to be over the director's displayed lack of 'neutrality' in front of non-TEA folks. My cynical nature is reading more into it than that, of course. But anyway.

Personally, I think that comparative religion SHOULD be taught in schools so that people better understand each the value systems of others, rather than the rumors and hearsay they get from their friends of the same faith. But if you're going to include that as 'science', well, may as well try combining 'reading&composition' with 'driver ed', and see how well that works out.

But no, no one can say anything about religion in public school. Must protect the ignorant minds from possible contamination. God forbid, they might get some wild ideas and actually decide to find out about cultures other than their own.

I can just imagine all the new email spam targeting worried preachers: "Are you insecure about your faith? Is your blessing not up to impressing your followers? Take Faitha1is! Guaranteed to have your flock singing Amen!"

You'd think, I dunno, maybe FAITH could help with all that insecurity.

Seriously, Science is not anti-faith. To me, the purpose of Faith is to answer the questions that science is incapable of asking, of which there are many.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I completely agree with you on this - I had the benefit of going to a high school where comparative religion class was mandatory for all new students.

BUT, having said that, I don't believe that ID can be put into the category of another scientific theory. It IS religion, it's creationism with a new spin.

I don't know if you say this, but there was a great Nova program on this topic.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/id/
If you don't have tv (we don't) you can watch the whole thing online.

On a practical level, I sort of feel like there isn't much room in the public school curriculum for comparative religion - our students are lagging so far behind in math and proper science, that comparative religion probably can wait until they get to college.

Anonymous said...

Gack, I wish there was a way to edit after publishing! Third paragraph should read, "I don't know if you SAW this..."

Jopsy said...

Tamson!! =)

I think I did see that segment... I'll check for sure at home tonight. :)

As far as 'room' for it in public school, they've been talking about extending the school year no?

But then again, there's no such thing as reforming public ed... too many people too many ideas, no collective momentum in any direction that isn't obsessed with money. (fooie, there I go being all negative again! =))