Re: [Phys-l] Intelligent designists fight back

[Monsieur et Madame Vieuxbouc <martweiss@earthlink.net>]

Jack Uretsky wrote:

> But, in the U.S.  a parent can always have a child excused from specific 
> parts of a course that offends the parent's religious beliefs.  I've never 
> heard of a case, however, where the excused portion was required for the 
> child to graduate.
   If the so-called excused portion (assuming it is evolution) is in 
the state science standards, which in most states are, and all teachers 
are responsible for teaching to those standards in preparation for the 
state mandated *exit* test in science, then there would most likely be 
specific questions on any test pertaining to those standards.   Now, the 
child who was excused from the evolution part would still have to answer 
those questions because I never heard of a state test that is altered to 
accomodate specific individuals who may object to a certain part of the 
test.   What is the child going to write... I refuse to answer on the 
grounds it is against my religion?  The child should hope he or she has 
enough of the other questions correct to make up for those he or she 
refuses to darken in the bubble.  

   This whole issue opens up a new can of worms... what about the 
English history or literature course that teaches the druids or Beowulf? 
(Gods and goddesses other than the *accepted* ones) or MacBeth 
(witches);  the Health or Bio course on the reproduction system?   the 
history course that teaches Salem witch trials?     music...  The Ring 
Cycle  (Norse Gods),  *Night on Bald Mountain* ("unGodly music with 
suggestions of spirits")   Silly?   To us it may very well be, but you 
would be surprised how many people object to course contenc we would 
never think twice about.    

   Private schools are especially protective about what their students 
get to read, hear, see, or experience.  That's their right, but it 
mirrors the public school teacher's nightmare taken to the extreme.    
In my very private school where the religious administrators must 
approve everything the English teacher wants to assign, the secular 
principal had to fight tooth and nail to allow the kids to read Romeo 
and Juliet, and To Kill a Mockingbird.   They even had to view the movie 
Red Badge of Courage ahead of time and then approved it.  (Actually for 
most of these novels and plays the religious people had NEVER read or 
seen the material before! Their education was so restricted in their own 
schools that no one bothered to even ask to allow them to read or see 
such things.)  

   Now, after 8 years, I don't even ask... I just teach cosmology or 
evolution and answer questions later.  By the time they find out what it 
was, it's done.  I have been there for all that time, they would be hard 
pressed to find another science teacher who contributes what I do above 
and beyond, so they don't even ask any longer, just a mild admonition in 
the beginning of the year... "You know we don't believe in evolution." 
  I simply nod my head and it becomes *don't ask, don't tell.*    

     Marty

>