We're giving the government a reason to regulate homeschooling

This article on the Fox News site has re-ignited my biggest fear: We sometimes do things that might well cause the government - regardless of party - to regulate homeschooling.

Sorry to be controversial, because I know many disagree strongly, but teaching that the science of evolution is wrong is courting disaster. From my own experience, I can tell you that students who are taught this face many problems at university:

1) They are ill-prepared for advanced biology courses. They are going to have to unlearn what they were taught in high school and learn the basics of the subject all over again. My older daughter went to a Christian high school that, thankfully, taught evolution in a sensitive way. At a Christian university, she was forever telling me stories of students who were taught literal creationism at the high school level and really struggled at university.

2) The science of creationism, and of intelligent design in particular, has been proven to be wrong - not just rejected by mainstream scientists, as some maintain, but actually proved to be wrong. To still teach otherwise undermines the scientific method - which affects all science subjects. Once again, students taking advanced courses in university are going to struggle because of this.

3) An alarming number of students in university are "losing" their faith. Emerging from an environment that denies evolution, they suddenly realize that evolutionary science, genetics, and the rest are solid after all. This causes them to question their parents' teaching, believing there was an ulterior motive. If they were taught error in this area of life, what else could be error? The basic teachings of their faith?

I'm a firm believer in encouraging children to think and to wrestle with these issues in an open and sensitive environment, to train them to become independent thinkers. I happen to think the Apologia textbooks, for example, are very good - except for occasional sweeping statements against evolution and an old earth. I also think that some public school textbooks are very good, despite being too absolute in their claims about evolution. Why not use both textbooks - to expose our children to the conflicting viewpoints? Then they can think things through, with our help, and they won't hit a brick wall when entering university.

Why raise this topic when I know so many will disagree? Because denying theories that are proved beyond reasonable doubt is going to cause concern in government circles and could become the wedge used to regulate homeschooling. The argument will be that parents should not be allowed to teach obvious error and it's in the interests of the child for the government to prevent this from happening - whether by forcing parents to teach an approved curriculum or by requiring children to take and pass annual tests created by the government.

If you don't think the general public would accept this, then think again. There have been plenty of news items about Madrassa schools in which children are taught strict Muslim interpretations that can lead to extremist thinking and behavior. There would be public support for ensuring children attending these schools are not being indoctrinated in ways that hurt them or our country. So why wouldn't the same argument be used against teaching literal creationism? From an academic perspective, what's the difference?

This one issue has the potential to prompt strict regulation from state and/or federal government. While the justification will refer to this one subject, the impact would ultimately affect the teaching of all subjects and could undermine our freedom to homeschool.

 

I have two words for both the belief in evolution and in creationism: petitio principii (assuming the initial point). Both are based on circular reasoning. In other words, the same evidence can be argued either way based on what you already believe to be true. Just because the scientific community and universities choose to promote evolution devoid of a Creator does not make it absolute fact.

From Men to Monkeys

We've all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the internet, we know this is not true." ~Professor Robert Silensky

 

they both boil down to the same question- the first appearance of life- the cell, the sudden appearance of something from nothing- science has no answer for. They both take faith. It's just choosing which faith to have.

 

It's important to understand the scope of evolution: It explains the emergence of complex life forms from simple life forms, nothing more. It does not explain how life appeared in the first place (which is a different subject).

 

It is only a "different subject" when you are avoiding proving your point.

 

In general, I agree with your statement: We are all susceptible to confirmation bias. In this particular case, though, the evidence argues for one thing only: evolution.

There was a court case a few years ago where the proponents of intelligent design and the proponents of evolution argued their case in court. The presiding judge, as it happened, was a conservative and evangelical Christian appointed by President Bush. In that case, the basic tenets underlying the science of intelligent design were not just questioned; they were totally demolished. Michael Behe, for example, had no answers, and his credibility evaporated. The judge made no bones about this in his write-up.

This is the problem that I have: Isn't it right for the government to step in when parents deliberately teach error? Many would argue that it is - and the scope of that stepping in wouldn't be limited to evolution. It would cover all school subjects. This is what I mean by the thin end of the wedge.

 

According to the scientific community's acceptance of the interpretation of the evidence...and without asking God's opinion on it all, I might add.

 

ok, here's the thing. In the UK the religious homeschoolers fought alongside the ultraliberal homeschoolers to overthrow this bad bunch of legislation. If they're slipping in things that will try to force wedges between homeschoolers and lead to fractures in the people arguing - it will be harmful regardless of your beliefs. This is NO PLACE to argue evolution/creationism. They're both religious beliefs.

And no, Steve- a lack of teaching evolution (I've never yet met a homeschooler who didn't, BTW) which is a very small corner of science and unrelated to most jobs even in heavy scientific fields is NOT a legitimate reason for legislation of homeschooling. It would in fact be state interference in religious activity- which might fly some places but will face widespread condemnation here.

 

I went to a Christian high school and a Christian college. I was taught very little about evolution in high school and college. Maybe it depends on the college you go to.

 

Scientific ideas about the origin of life itself fall into the branch of science known as abiogenesis. Evolution is quite different: It explains how complex life forms developed from simple life forms.

 

One more thing....

Who is to say what is error when it comes to one's beliefs and convictions other than God Himself?

The problem with teaching creationism in public schools is that it can be challenged on the grounds that the government is not to establish a religion. Murky waters, really, because evolution is a belief, with this exception, it lacks any deity, so it has the pretense of being secular and not technically a "religion," even though it requires faith in an unprovable science, which substantiates itself, again petitio principii.

 

Techinically right, but there is no evolution without the origin of life so...these theories are dependent on each other, wouldn't you say?

 

Are you going to have the government step in when I tell my child not to cross their eyes because they will stick that way? What an industrial sized can-o-worms this line of thinking will open up. I want the government to regulate defense and.....uh....infrastructure...Yep. That's about it.

As for teaching "evolution"...we teach creationism and we point out how creation has answers for the things we know didn't happen (i.e. men from apes) I won't get into all the nuances of micro/macro, mutation, speciesation, etc. Suffice it to say that my children are well-versed in all theories and the truth of God's Word. If they don't do well in Biology 101, so be it. Is it worth a GPA to lose your spiritual integrity? I seriously doubt any creationist would go to a state university to major in anthropology without being prepared for defending their faith with the knowledge of both arguments, anyway; none-the-less, to subscribe to beliefs you don't hold just to "do well" in college is disgraceful.

 

Well, to speak from my own experience. I was taught evolution in school, and ridiculed by teachers for questioning it. I was taught to believe the bible at home, and learned about Christian Scientists who were doing good research that supports what the Bible says.
I went to a secular university, and learned what prof's had to say about evolution. I learned that with some you can debate, and with others you keep quiet. I also learned that prof's in each discipline contradict each other on their approach to evolution, and that they can't all be right. Through it all I grew in my faith! Sometimes taking a stand on a hard subject is good for a student.
Teach them that there are theories out there that you don't agree with.
Teach them why.
Teach them to question their teachers, and to think for themselves.
Teach them to trust God, and the Bible.
Teach them to do real research, and ask questions of people they respect in faith and academics.

Learning about these things doesn't have to destroy your child's faith. It can make them stronger. Prepare them for it, and pray for them.

 

we teach creationism. my kids know that there are people who believe in evolution. they are not insulated from other ideas, but they understand that the Bible is the final authority. everything we learn is sifted through the filter of Scripture. building a strong foundation is my job. theirs is to continue learning and seeking and discovering for themselves what they believe.(when the time is right)

 

Steve, the fact that many kids in college "lose" their faith doesn't really have that much to do with what they were taught about creation/evolution. Kids who were taught only Creationism do lose (or suspend, or fail to grow in, or whatever other phrase seems most appropriate) their faith. But so do kids who were Christians at home and on weekends but grew up in public school and were taught only evolution, and kids whose parents are (like yourself) Christians who believe in and teach evolution. It's far more a function of age and independence from home than it is which "form" of science had been taught or which textbooks were used. College is a time of questioning who one is and what one really stands for, and experimenting (you might say) with other points of view than one had going in. Some of these new ideas stick and persist after college, and some don't.

 

I would even go as far as to say that I was a strong believer when I entered and exited college. I didn't lose my faith, I lost my integrity. It had nothing to do with evolution, but everything to do with revolution. I battled it out with teachers over evolution from middle school on. Being a straight A student, it was hard to choke down an F on a test that required me to submit to evolution as fact. Still, college years were full of temptations, but never to be confused about what scripture tells me about creation.

What were we talking about??? :lol: Sorry, Steve. Got off on a tangent.

 

I don't believe that this is really a topic of evolution vs. creation. It is much bigger. Satan sees something that is growing and he is trying to destroy it. If it isn't science it will be another subject.

 

And what about me? I teach both to my kids but I went to public school and I was taught nothing. Do you know what my tenth grade biology teacher did for an entire school year for our class period (45 mins)?

He ranted and raved about Rev. Jerry Fallwell. He taught NOTHING. Not evolution - not creationism. He just ranted on and on about this 'evil' man. Yes, my mother complained. No - despite most of my class getting failing grades and this being a yearly repeat performance-nothing happened - he has tenure. And yes, he's still employed there. No, I was not raised in church nor was I a Christian at the time. Do I think this was an isolated incident? No way. It's not the majority of public school classrooms but I'm sure it happens quite a bit.

When the government cleans up it's own house then it has the right to tell me what to teach in mine. That being said, my children will have a firm foundation in both.

 

Where did simple life forms come from according to science?