John, I thought the creationists were wanting to just add a chapter/section, whatever, to the required biology class that included speculation on 'intelligent design' as a possible explanation for the origin of man.
Personally, I don't have a dog in this fight. But I never saw what they wanted as an attempt to like cut the study of evolution completely out of the text. Was Texas somehow different in this respect?
Considering that the fossil record of man is still incomplete (I think, anyway), it never seemed like this was an unreasonable request.
Also, and correct me if I'm wrong, I never saw this as an all-out attack on science and the scientific method. My kids went to schools for the most part in extemely red counties in a moderately red state. It looked to me like all their science classes...biology, chemistry, natural science....were just as mine were forty years prior, complete with evolution. Likewise for their degrees from BYU. A full study of Darwin and evolution of species was scientifically presented. Evolution was also included in cultural anthropology classes, if memory serves.
I really believe the so-called attack on science by social conservatives is hugely overstated. I've even read some left wing claims that it's responsible for our country's poor showing in preparing US students in math and science. It makes for great jokes from late night talk show hosts, but I raised four kids in both public and private religious schooling and saw their textbooks, etc. |
