Conservatives Playing With History Books  

Oh but it is so much easier to just brain wash them

Regarding teaching evolution and religion, as long as you're not teaching religion in a science classroom as if it were science, that's fine.

They are just two wings of the same bird.

No. I certainly wouldn't approve of religion being taught as science. I think it finds a better place being taught as history or as theory.

I agree with you completely! There definitely needs to be a balance to the education that kids receive. I believe they should learn about all of those things and decide for themselves the way they believe when faced with all the facts, theories and opinions. I believe that evolution should be taught in the science classes, but I also believe that creation should be taught there as well. Teach them both to the kids and let them decide.

How much you want to bet that those same Texans will quote Jefferson next time Obama does something that they disagree with?

lmao so true. I love Jefferson for quotes. He was very well spoken. What hypocrites.

A Kindle is an interesting idea.

Is it also true that they worked intelligent design into the biology text book.

His views on the separation of church and state is so far from what we see being taught today. The main idea of separation of church and state was that the government couldn't meddle in religious affairs. It didn't mean that religion had no place in government; it meant that government had no place in religion. The history of this comes from the founding fathers' experience in England where the government controlled and watched over the Church of England. The government dictated what the church should do. It was that type of environment that the founding fathers were trying to prevent.

And they should definitely include Intelligent Design into the Biology textbooks. If they allow for the "theory" of evolution in textbooks, they should allow Intelligent Design to be taught. What's the problem with students learning both?

But Intelligent design is not even a science. Yes Evolution is a theory just like gravity and relativity. Intelligent design is not even a theory.

GEWCEW: I don't see how anyone who's read the books on Intelligent Design (ID) can say it's not science nor is it even a theory. It's a theory because it posits a First Cause to explain existence, based on many previously tested & accepted examples that prove the possibility. It's NOT about teaching religion, but about checking facts--scientific facts, & theories, to see the truth or falsity of them.

Best example I can think of off the top of my noggin is the concept of "irreducible complexity." Familiar with it? If not, you should find out; it's a fascinating idea.

Anyway, the books I've read on ID are quite well done, & are by reputable scientists. I believe people who simply want to add the theory to the pile are doing the right thing. Science is supposed to be about thinking & trying to test theories! All theories! ID is simply another theory, & one which affects the world in many ways, thus deserving of a fair look. I see no reason to fear it; searching for truth is a noble goal. Wading through theories someone might not agree with, "scientific mud," if you like, is just part of the adventure. If nothing else, what if someone comes up with valid, provable science which disproves ID. Wouldn't that be worthwhile to those who say it's nonsense?

Or is it that those naysayers are afraid that if it's explored, it might prove to be correct? Hmm?

I'm on the side of fearless science.

Maggiepie
Post topics in Open Mike if they just WON'T be comfy anywhere else!

I don't know if they worked it in, but I doubt it. They'd have mentioned it by now, I think. I'd like to think Texans aren't dumb enough to just lie down and take it when a small board of politically driven morons tries to drive a fairy tale down our kids throats and call it science.

Also, no, intelligent design should not be taught because it isn't a science (for those who are saying it is). Science is the study of the physical, natural, world and deals only with observable or measurable things. Gods are not physical, observable, nor measurable, and thus the idea of a god poofing this world into existence is not science. Sorry, but religious myths have no place in the science class room. If people want it taught, they should request a world mythology class to teach the idea from an objective view. If they want it taught as fact they should enroll their kids in Sunday School.

Also, a scientific "theory" is not the same as the layman's "theory". Please, just look it up.

For those of you saying that Intelligent Design should not be taught because it isn't a scientific theory and can't be proven, what is the difference between Intelligent Design and Evolution. Neither can be proven definitively in a scientific manner. If I'm not mistaken, the scientific method says that a theory should be measurable and repeatable to be valid. Neither Evolution or Intelligent Design can be determined to be valid scientifically because they can't be repeated. When a scientist in a laboratory can take random particles of matter and allow it to sit long enough to evolve into intelligent life, then evolution would have a lot more credibility. And also, Intelligent Design does hold the premise that life came from special creation from a Divine Creator. This cannot be repeated either. Ultimately, both Creation and Evolution are theories as to the existence of the universe and should be taught as such.

Google "texas textbook" and read all about how the section of the Texas State Board of Education is staffed by Conservatives who insist that textbooks present topics the way they want them presented in order to be eligible for selection by Texas schools. Because Texas has rather alot of schools, this pressures textbook publishers to cater to them. Why they decided they want to make Jefferson an unperson you'll have to ask them. If the irony of conservatives taking the same approach to history that Stalin and Mao did seems rather thick on the ground, that's because it is.

Because it has everything to do with conservatives. It isn't liberals doing this.

So neither of you have documentation or any motive that this is sinister?