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T U E S D A Y , F E B R U A R Y 0 1 , 2 0 0 5Why Evolution ISN'T Controversial In OurSchoolsby Michael in New York on
2/01/2005 01:11:00 AMSadly, it's not because most Americans understand the sciencebehind it. Evolution ain't controversial at the local levelBECAUSE IT JUST ISN'T TAUGHT.Yep, teachers all over the country simply avoid the topic. TheNYT details how it's impossible to determine how widespreadthe practice, but anecdotally it's very common. Even ifevolution is in the textbooks and there is no goofy disclaimerthat it's "just a theory" (which in scientific terms of coursemeans an idea that is widely accepted with oodles and oodlesof evidence to back it up), teachers may assign it for readingbut they won't touch the topic in class with a ten foot pole.Among the sad/funny anecdotes -- one survey shows thatone-third of high school biology teachers believe in creationismor at least think it should be taught.Another good comment:"There is no credible scientific challenge to the idea that allliving things evolved from common ancestors, that evolution onearth has been going on for billions of years and that evolutioncan be and has been tested and confirmed by the methods ofscience. But in a 2001 survey, the National Science Foundationfound that only 53 percent of Americans agreed with thestatement "human beings, as we know them, developed fromearlier species of animals."" says the New York Times."And this was good news to the foundation. It was the firsttime one of its regular surveys showed a majority of Americanshad accepted the idea. According to the foundation report, pollsconsistently show that a plurality of Americans believe that Godcreated humans in their present form about 10,000 years ago,and about two-thirds believe that this belief should be taughtalong with evolution in public schools."God help us.
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2/01/2005 01:11:00 AMSadly, it's not because most Americans understand the sciencebehind it. Evolution ain't controversial at the local levelBECAUSE IT JUST ISN'T TAUGHT.Yep, teachers all over the country simply avoid the topic. TheNYT details how it's impossible to determine how widespreadthe practice, but anecdotally it's very common. Even ifevolution is in the textbooks and there is no goofy disclaimerthat it's "just a theory" (which in scientific terms of coursemeans an idea that is widely accepted with oodles and oodlesof evidence to back it up), teachers may assign it for readingbut they won't touch the topic in class with a ten foot pole.Among the sad/funny anecdotes -- one survey shows thatone-third of high school biology teachers believe in creationismor at least think it should be taught.Another good comment:"There is no credible scientific challenge to the idea that allliving things evolved from common ancestors, that evolution onearth has been going on for billions of years and that evolutioncan be and has been tested and confirmed by the methods ofscience. But in a 2001 survey, the National Science Foundationfound that only 53 percent of Americans agreed with thestatement "human beings, as we know them, developed fromearlier species of animals."" says the New York Times."And this was good news to the foundation. It was the firsttime one of its regular surveys showed a majority of Americanshad accepted the idea. According to the foundation report, pollsconsistently show that a plurality of Americans believe that Godcreated humans in their present form about 10,000 years ago,and about two-thirds believe that this belief should be taughtalong with evolution in public schools."God help us.
Add New CommentYou are commenting as a Guest. You may select one to log into:
Ben SmithObama's remarks: 'What's in this for me?' - AsObama opens a high-stakes press conference, hisremarks refocus the battle for health care reformhealth insurance reform on, among other things,1 minute ago
HuffPost PoliticsPaul Helmke: NRA Defeated In Key Gun ViolencePrevention Vote: Elections Have Consequences -The National Rifle Association leadership suffered amajor defeat in the U.S. Senate today, losing a keyvote on a bill that would have radically...6 minutes ago
Daily KosWaterloo, But for Who? Liveblog 3 - Themini-tutorial on deficits is good. Will it sink in? Willanyone say, hey, the Iraq war is costing TWICEwhat this reform is going to cost? No.8 minutes ago
Crooks and LiarsPresident Obama's Health Care Presser: OpenThread - President Obama's presser on health carereform has just begun...Let us know what you seeand rate the journos...How negative do you thinktheir question...44 minutes ago
FiredoglakeLiveblogging the Obama Health Care Presser: CostControl Up Front; Politics Pushed Aside? - PresidentBarack Obama goes on National television at 8pmJ O H N ' S P H OT O S
AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Why E...http://www.americablog.com/2005/02/why-evolution-isnt-contr...
1 of 57/22/09 9:04 PM
EDT to once again address the need for real healthcare reform, and the need to get something don...50 minutes agoShow AllA M E R I C A B L O G T V
Visit our AMERICAblog TV site.see all 322 videos >I collect with
vodpod
In honor of SenatorDeMint
For the GOPers, healthcare is politics. They just
Traditional media has todebunk the birthers
One small step...
The right-wing media, thevoices of the GOP, in
REM - Orange CrushNext 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Why E...http://www.americablog.com/2005/02/why-evolution-isnt-contr...
2 of 57/22/09 9:04 PM
Ezra KleinTab Dump1 hour agoWonk RoomSen. Byron Dorgan:The ‘Trade’ InCap-And-Trade ‘MakesNo Sense To Me’2 hours agoHealth BeatTruth Squad: WallStreet Journal HealthCare Editorial Wrong onthe Facts . . .3 hours agoThe TreatmentHatch Is Out5 hours agoDaily DoseProviders Endorse 'Payfor Value' Proposals10 hours agoG AY P O L I T I C S
Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S
Blog RSS
AMERICAblog TV RSS
Twitter RSSTwitter Feed
Get the blog by email:
Subscribe me!Public schools collegeprepHigh Touch. PersonalizedAttention. Real Teachers,Real Results.KaplanOnlineSchools.comIntelligent Design FactsScientific discoveriessupport ID Read thesefascinating articleswww.y-Origins.comFree K-12 School atHomeEnroll Now! 100%Tuition-Free. Give YourChild A Better Education.www.ConnectionsAcademy.comForensic ScienceSchoolsGo to Forensic ScienceSchool 100% Online!Financial Aid Available.EntryLevelDegrees.com/ForensicsCreation Or Evolution?Is evolution just a theory?You can prove creation.Order free booklet.www.gnmagazine.org/evolution/?S=2
Top AdAdvertise in this spot.H E A LT H C A R ER E F O R MAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Why E...http://www.americablog.com/2005/02/why-evolution-isnt-contr...
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S E A R C H
AMERICAblog
Web
SearchS E N D U S T I P S &C O M M E N T Samericablog@starpower.netB L O G A R C H I V E
Blog ArchiveS I T E S W E L I K EAir America RadioAlan Colmes' blogAri Melber (The Nation)Ben SmithBicycleMark's blog &podcastBilericoBradBlogBring It OnCarrie FisherCrooks and LiarsDailyKosDan Savage's "Slog"Daou ReportDemocratic UndergroundEschatonEzra KleinFire Dog LakeFiveThirtyEight.comFreeway BloggerThe Gavel (SpeakerPelosi's blog)Good As YouGlenn GreenwaldHoly Bullies and HeadlessMonstersHuffington PostHullabaloo (Digby)Jack and Jill PoliticsJed ReportJesus' GeneralKenneth in the 212Margaret and HelenMatthew GrossMedia MattersMike Signorile's "The Gist"MudflatsMyDDOpen LeftPlum LinePolitical Punch (JakeTapper)Political WirePolitics 1Pop SurfingProgressive Blog DigestQueers UnitedRawStoryRex WocknerRude PunditSmirking ChimpTalk LeftTappedTaylor MarshThink ProgressTowleRoadVetVoice.comWashington NoteWayneBesen.comWonketteWorth Repeating
N E W S L I N K SUSWashington PostNYTAP PoliticsReuters PoliticsRasmussen PollsTimeNewsweekRoll CallThe HillABCNews
P L E A S E S U P P O RTA M E R I C A B L O GOne-time donation$
Recurring monthlydonation$
Donations are nottax-deductible.L A B E L S
Select a labelL A S T 1 0 0 V I S I T O R SRecent Visitors
A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Why E...http://www.americablog.com/2005/02/why-evolution-isnt-contr...
4 of 57/22/09 9:04 PM
© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Why E...http://www.americablog.com/2005/02/why-evolution-isnt-contr...
5 of 57/22/09 9:04 PM