Georgia considers banning 'evolution'

moe.ron · #1 01-31-2004, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Georgia considers banning 'evolution'
Friday, January 30, 2004 Posted: 10:11 AM EST (1511 GMT)

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- The state's school superintendent has proposed striking the word evolution from Georgia's science curriculum and replacing it with the phrase "biological changes over time."

The change is included in more than 800 pages of draft revisions to Georgia's curriculum that have been posted by the Department of Education on its Web site. The middle and high school standards are expected to be voted on by the state Board of Education in May, after public feedback.

Superintendent Kathy Cox said the concept of evolution would still be taught under the proposal, but the word would not be used. The proposal would not require schools to buy new textbooks omitting the word evolution and would not prevent teachers from using it.

Cox repeatedly referred to evolution as a "buzzword" Thursday and said the ban was proposed, in part, to alleviate pressure on teachers in socially conservative areas where parents object to its teaching.

"If teachers across this state, parents across this state say, 'This is not what we want,' then we'll change it," said Cox, a Republican elected in 2002.

Educators and legislators criticized the proposal, saying science teachers understand the theories behind evolution and how to teach them.

"Here we are, saying we have to improve standards and improve education, and we're just throwing a bone to the conservatives with total disregard to what scientists say," said state Rep. Bob Holmes, a Democrat.

Social conservatives who prefer religious creation to be taught instead of evolution criticized the proposal as well.

"If you're teaching the concept without the word, what's the point?" said Rep. Bobby Franklin, a Republican. "It's stupid. It's like teaching gravity without using the word gravity."

The1calledTKE · #2 01-31-2004, 11:59 AM

Its a political move that backfired. Alot of people pissed already I am sure she will back down.

Kevin · #3 02-01-2004, 12:34 AM

All I can say about this is that these folks are inching us closer and closer to resembling a Christian version of what they have over in Saudi Arabia.

This Bible thumping crap makes people like me really start to hate folks like this pissant superintendant.

How the hell do you get to be in charge of an educational system when you yourself ignore anything that is incongruent with your views on the world? That's not faith, that's ignorance.

Generally, I'm the kind of guy that votes party-line Republican. If I lived in Georgia, I'd be (D) all the way just because of this a-hole.

If the Republican party continues to bend to this extremist Christian agenda, it's going to find a lot of people like me that consider themselves to be real conservatives looking for alternatives.

James · #4 02-01-2004, 01:46 AM

Can't we just ban Georgia? Keep Atlanta but muzzle the rest of them . . sheez.

What unbelieveable morons. Thats the kind of decision that you make behind close doors talking only to people that think the same you do . . its not the type of decision made in the light of day.

Keep in mind that this was proposed by the "highest" educator in the state.

God Help us. . . pun intended.

DeltAlum · #5 02-01-2004, 12:09 PM

Is it possible that this seems logical since a lot of politicians (and even a few educators) haven't evolved past...well, you name it.

cash78mere · #6 02-01-2004, 12:42 PM

pure ignorance on the part of the superintendent

AGDee · #7 02-02-2004, 12:02 AM

That reminds me of when my daughter's brownie troop was in the Field Museum in Chicago looking at the dinosaur bones. One mom leaned over and told her daughter "You don't have to look at those, we don't believe in that".

Dee

James · #8 02-02-2004, 02:05 AM

I would have laughed in her face, but I am not a very nice person . . stupid lady . . and she was allowed to breed.

Was she at least good looking? A small redeeming quality.

Quote:

Originally posted by AGDee
That reminds me of when my daughter's brownie troop was in the Field Museum in Chicago looking at the dinosaur bones. One mom leaned over and told her daughter "You don't have to look at those, we don't believe in that".

Dee

aurora_borealis · #9 02-02-2004, 04:34 AM

Holy Guacamole...as a biological anthropologist this makes me want to sic ill tempered macaques on these people.

How can someone NOT believe in the dinosaurs? I could maybe understand they thought people and dinos lived together simultaneously (which they did NOT), but deny them all together?
Whenever some fundaMENTAL Christian tells me evolution doesn't exist I ask them why they think God couldn't create that process? Usually shuts them up for a moment. Heck even the National Organization of my Protestant sect has on our website that we believe in evolution.

I didn't know a 150 year old term was a "buzzword". In a public school why is this even an issue, if they want their child to have a religious upbringing: do it at home, send them to a religious school, let them learn about different things then talk to them about why they don't agree with it.

ACK

I better knuckledrag back to my cave...

AGDee · #10 02-02-2004, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by James
I would have laughed in her face, but I am not a very nice person . . stupid lady . . and she was allowed to breed.

Was she at least good looking? A small redeeming quality.

Very good looking, single mom of 3 girls, all from different dads...

GeekyPenguin · #11 02-02-2004, 11:05 AM

After reading some great Supreme Court cases from Georgia last week, my mom (who has a sciencey degree from the same university that I attend) and I were talking about this. We decided that if our Catholic Bob Jones is okay with teaching evolution, that obviously there's definitely really good grounds for it, and people in Georgia are fubared.

James · #12 02-02-2004, 12:54 PM

Well at least she's good looking, thats a serious mitigating factor in stupid women

At least for guys.

Nice to see she absorbed the lesson on Creationism as a youth, shame she missed the chapter that recomended keeping her legs crossed and skirt firmly pressed down .. :

Quote:

Originally posted by AGDee
Very good looking, single mom of 3 girls, all from different dads...

Lady Pi Phi · #13 02-02-2004, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by James
Nice to see she absorbed the lesson on Creationism as a youth, shame she missed the chapter that recomended keeping her legs crossed and skirt firmly pressed down .. :

Haha...I was thinking the same thing.

rainbowbrightCS · #14 02-02-2004, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GeekyPenguin
After reading some great Supreme Court cases from Georgia last week, my mom (who has a sciencey degree from the same university that I attend) and I were talking about this. We decided that if our Catholic Bob Jones is okay with teaching evolution, that obviously there's definitely really good grounds for it, and people in Georgia are fubared.

I was told about Darwin by Sister Louise at St. Vincent dePaul Ele. in PHX Az.

Quote:

I didn't know a 150 year old term was a "buzzword". In a public school why is this even an issue, if they want their child to have a religious upbringing: do it at home, send them to a religious school, let them learn about different things then talk to them about why they don't agree with it.

Yeah let them be home schooled to to a "special" schools.

But the funny thing is how are theses children going to go through life. They will be behind in college science classes and psy classes.

To me faith is my going though all options and then picking what I beleive to be right. Not knowing there was any other way is ignorance, and if these children grow up and believe in evolution and turn from god, then their faith was not theirs it was their parents.

They children will not know how to respond to debates and disagreement, they will think if this is not what they were told they should just cover their eyes and ear and go "lalallalal I can't hear you, you are wrong.... lalalala" with out listening.

Ignorance is bred, not bore.

Chris

aurora_borealis · #15 02-02-2004, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rainbowbrightCS
I was told about Darwin by Sister Louise at St. Vincent dePaul Ele. in PHX Az.

Yeah let them be home schooled to to a "special" schools.

But the funny thing is how are theses children going to go through life. They will be behind in college science classes and psy classes.

To me faith is my going though all options and then picking what I beleive to be right. Not knowing there was any other way is ignorance, and if these children grow up and believe in evolution and turn from god, then their faith was not theirs it was their parents.

They children will not know how to respond to debates and disagreement, they will think if this is not what they were told they should just cover their eyes and ear and go "lalallalal I can't hear you, you are wrong.... lalalala" with out listening.

Ignorance is bred, not bore.

Chris

Well check this out...my friend is from an area SO conservative that it pervades the public school system and kids from the majority religion get time off from public school to go to their religious edifice next door. My friend's parents decided they didn't want their kids exposed to it, so they homeschooled them. it goes both ways. Parents have the right and obligation to educate their children as they see fit, which allows them to make alternative educaitonal arrangements. We may not agree with their agenda but that is their choice to make.

I don't understand what you mean about believing in evolution is making people turn from God. One can have faith, religion and a belief in God and evolution all at the same time.