The American Taliban Forces Christia Law on Biology Classes

[Joanne98]

Most U.S. high school biology teachers "fail to forthrightly explain evolutionary biology," finds an educator survey. And at least 13% "strongly support" teaching creationism.

Evolution, the inheritance of changed characteristics across generations, is the fundamental unifying concept underlying biology, as a National Research Council science education standards released in 1996 noted. That report said, "... 'biological evolution' cannot be eliminated from the life science standards."

But only 28% of the 926 teachers surveyed, "unabashedly introduce evidence that evolution has occurred and craft lesson plans so that evolution is a theme that unifies disparate topics in biology," according to the Science report by Michael Berkman and Eric Plutzer of Penn State. Most biology teachers belong to the "cautious 60%," who are "neither strong advocates for evolutionary biology nor explicit endorsers of nonscientific alternatives," the study says. As mentioned, 13% of respondents advocated biblical creationism or "intelligent design" creationism in biology class.

Our data show that these teachers understandably want to avoid controversy. Often they have not taken a course in evolution and they lack confidence in their ability to defend it. Their strategies for avoiding controversy are varied, but three were especially common and each has the effect of undermining science. Some teach evolutionary biology as though it only applies to molecular biology—completely ignoring macroevolution of species. At best, this approach sacrifices a rich understanding of the diversity of species. At worst it lends credence to the creationist claim that there is no evidence for one species giving rise to others.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2011/01/evolution-teaching-poor-/1

[old mark]

1. K&R-It is entirely possible the teachers never learned much about evolution either...

The course requirements for public schools have bee so twisted over the last decades that seemingly basic, fundamental courses are not required...only "areas of concentration". In PA, for example, it is possible to graduate from high school without ever taking a single course in history.


mark

[cheapdate]

3. There are public universities...

where a person can attend for 4 years and earn a degree, as in Education, without ever being challenged intellectually; without ever questioning his or her beliefs, or without gaining any broader perspective of the world.

Middle Tennessee State University here in my hometown of Mufreesboro, TN, is in the process of phasing out the philosophy department because they say that they can't afford the to maintain a philosophy department that enrolls so few students.

It's no surprise that so many Americans are not able to think and reason given the state of our system of public schools and universities.

[NeoGreen]

2. Why the US fails in Science.... (K&R n/t)