|
|
|
Updated: 9:27 PM Jan 11, 2008
Evolution vs. Creationism
Evolution could be coming to your children’s science classrooms. A panel of education experts just wrapped up three days of meetings at the state Department of Education to hammer out new standards. The state Board of Education will have the final say next month.
Posted: 3:46 PM Jan 11, 2008Reporter: Chris Casquejo |
|
12 Comments 
Evolution could be coming to your children’s science classrooms. A panel of education experts just wrapped up three days of meetings at the state Department of Education to hammer out new standards. The state Board of Education will have the final say next month.
The way science is taught in Florida public school classrooms could soon change. Right now, the state science curriculum uses the words “biological changes over time” instead of “evolution".
Biology teacher Nicholas Daigle believes the current standards shortchange students.
“It’s very hard to teach good biological science without mentioning evolution. It’s one of the basic underpinnings of modern biological science.
A panel of more than 50 educators met over the past three days to hammer out the finishing touches on the new science standards.
Since work began on the new standards last May, the state Department of Education has heard from more than 10,000 people. Many believe that evolution should be taught as just one theory. They want the state board to include alternatives, such as intelligent design.
Mary Jane Tappen from the Department of Education says the board will take it all into consideration.
“There are multiple view to include evolution, the theory of evolution, to not include it, to include it and other theories. So they’ll get all those facts."
Governor Charlie Crist is taking a wait and see attitude.
“I think the way it’s been handled historically in Florida is probably appropriate. It’s been introduced and discussed in terms of being a theory. I don’t know if there’s a need for a change in that. But I’ll leave the decision to the board.”
The State Board of Education will vote on the new standards on February 19th. Public comment on the Florida Department of Education’s website ended on December 14th.
Latest Comments
ID requires facts, such as life was created by an Intelligent being or beings. It could not have evolved in incremental steps as Darwin proposed with his 19th century limited understanding of biology. We understand now that a cell is not just a sack of protoplasm, but a collection of "biological machines" acting in perfect harmony. The bacterial flagellum is irreducibly complex, comprised of 60 components which had to exist as a built product for the flagellum to work. Slow change over time would not account for these 59 vestigial components which would have served no purpose except to hinder the bacteria which supported them. How are those for facts?
To the previous comment: ID is a belief and therefore requires no facts. It is an opinion offered as an alternative to a faulty theory. Evolution, while holding many components that have a strong possibility, can not and has not been proven. Fossil records have been shown, by the same scientific community, to be, in many cases, completely inaccurate- such as in the radioisotope dating from Mt. Ngauruhoe, which proposed that volcanic flow known to be around 50 years of age, was over a million years old. As for your issues with the "cherry-picking" of biblical evidence, a true look into Christian beliefs or a study of the New Testament would inform you that, through the life and death of Jesus Christ, Christians believe that the teachings of the Old Testament were made false and unnecessary. What is cherry-picking, however, is picking out a single verse without reading the context or follow-up to explain its meaning. Everyone deserves respect for their views whether you agree with them or not. Maybe you should look into possible errors in your own theories before you criticize those of others.
To those arguing for ID: At it's core, science is really about intellectual honesty. Scientists will change their views when the evidence demands it. So, it is very dishonest of you to say: "There is no proof of evolution" when scientists consider it fact, overwhelmingly supported by the fossil record and genetic research. "Something can't come from nothing, so God created the universe", and when shown that the same logic means that God can't come from nothing either, say "God is different" "ID is a valid scientific theory" even after you've been told that a scientific theory explains accepted facts about empirical observations and does not mean "opinion". "Teach the controversy" when there is none. "The bible is the literal word of god", then cherry-pick the "good stuff" and ignore technical/historical errors and horrific biblical teachings such as "Kill those who don't believe in Me" or "You may sell your daughter into slavery". You deserve no respect for these views.
