Home school texts often replace science with religious opinions

[ck4829]

Home-school mom Susan Mule wishes she hadn't taken a friend's advice and tried a textbook from a popular Christian publisher for her 10-year-old's biology lessons.

Mule's precocious daughter Elizabeth excels at science and has been studying tarantulas since she was 5. But she watched Elizabeth's excitement turn to confusion when they reached the evolution section of the book from Apologia Educational Ministries, which disputed Charles Darwin's theory.

"I thought she was going to have a coronary," Mule said of her daughter, who is now 16 and taking college courses in Houston. "She's like, 'This is not true!'"

Christian-based materials dominate a growing home-school education market that encompasses more than 1.5 million students in the U.S. And for most home-school parents, a Bible-based version of the Earth's creation is exactly what they want. Federal statistics from 2007 show 83 percent of home-schooling parents want to give their children "religious or moral instruction."

"The majority of home-schoolers self-identify as evangelical Christians," said Ian Slatter, a spokesman for the Home School Legal Defense Association. "Most home-schoolers will definitely have a sort of creationist component to their home-school program."

Those who don't, however, often feel isolated and frustrated from trying to find a textbook that fits their beliefs.

Two of the best-selling biology textbooks stack the deck against evolution, said some science educators who reviewed sections of the books at the request of The Associated Press.

"I feel fairly strongly about this. These books are promulgating lies to kids," said Jerry Coyne, an ecology and evolution professor at the University of Chicago.

The textbook publishers defend their books as well-rounded lessons on evolution and its shortcomings. One of the books doesn't attempt to mask disdain for Darwin and evolutionary science.

"Those who do not believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant Word of God will find many points in this book puzzling," says the introduction to "Biology: Third Edition" from Bob Jones University Press. "This book was not written for them."

The textbook delivers a religious ultimatum to young readers and parents, warning in its "History of Life" chapter that a "Christian worldview ... is the only correct view of reality; anyone who rejects it will not only fail to reach heaven but also fail to see the world as it truly is."

When the AP asked about that passage, university spokesman Brian Scoles said the sentence made it into the book because of an editing error and will be removed from future editions.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100306/ap_on_re/us_rel_home_school_evolution

What happened to this whole thing about school choice, huh?

"anyone who rejects it will not only fail to reach heaven but also fail to see the world as it truly is"

Seriously, where do public schools call you a failure if you don't agree 100% with what the authors of the books say, right? Can you even imagine the firestorm that would happen if they even tried it?

[BrklynLiberal]

1. This should come as a surprise to no one.

The current incarnation of "home schooling" is part and parcel of the fundy movement.

[mzteris]

3. nope.

Only A PART of it.

There are plenty of liberals, atheists, Wiccans, Presbyterians, agnostics, and non-fundy religious people, Muslim, Buddhist, Pagan - you name it. They're out there in ever increasing numbers.

Don't listen to a fundy organization try and "lay claim" to the hs movement.

[MineralMan]

6. In most places, the large majority of home-schoolers are

fundies and other assorted wingers. There is a small minority of reasonable people home-schooling, but they are not anywhere near as numerous as the wackos. Don't fool yourself.

[mzteris]

11. and how many hs'ers do you personally know?

How many groups/loops are you on? How much research have you done on the subject?

Some places have a "majority" but some places DON'T! You don't fool yourself. Non-fundies tend to fly under the radar.

[Dappleganger]

12. I am very sorry but your information couldn't be more incorrect.

Unfortunately the fundie homeschoolers have a tendency to bring all the attention unto themselves, while the rest of the normal homeschoolers (non-religious or only nominally religious) are ignored (people like me).

Stop paying so much attention to the circus.

[Maat]

31. With all due respect ...

I disagree, Mineral Man.

We homestudy, and know dozens of homeschoolers and those who homestudy through a charter. None use a crazy textbook like this. All I know use the same textbook as those in the conventional classroom. I, frankly, haven't met any that teach creationism.

I just strongly disagree.

[mopinko]

7. lefty home schoolers are lonely, it is true. but they are out there.

lots of people do it because they have kids from the skinny parts of the bell curve. especially kids on the upper ends. these kids can school themselves with only a little help.

school districts ought to be helping out more. it is nice not to have them looking over your shoulder, but at the same time, things like books would be a big help. it is hard to get materials that are not slanted like this crap.

[MineralMan]

5. There is a small minority of home-schoolers who aren't fundies.

We have some here on DU. They're teaching their children facts, rather than fables. It is, however, a small minority. Most home-schooling is done by fundies and conservawackos.

[Maat]

30. With all due respect ...

nonsense!

I know literally dozens of homeschoolers, and I am one myself. We use the same textbooks as everyone else (those in the conventional classroom). I hang out in the community. I haven't met any that are teaching creationism. Meanwhile, my niece is being taught creationism in a supposedly liberal, openminded Episcopalian school.

[Mz Pip]

2. It must have been 20 years ago

when I was teaching 5th grade and I had a parent come in complaining about how a chapter in the 5th grade reader was a science article on the Big Bang and how her up until 5th grade home schooled son was "uncomfortable" with it.

She wasn't hostile, at least. We had a decent conversation where I pointed out that this was a public school and this would hardly be the last time her son was going to have to deal with things he disagreed with in school or in his life for that matter.

He actually turned out to be a pretty cool kid. Very smart and creative. I can only hope he was able to drift away from the fundy stuff.

[mwb970]

9. I have to laugh at the idea of "disagreeing" with the Big Bang.

So here is some 5th-grader who is "uncomfortable" with the conclusions of thousands of highly educated scientists who have studied this very subject for decades. This is beyond comical to me. What's next? Toddlers who "aren't sure" about the Magna Carta?

This country is insane.

:eyes:

[RainDog]

13. exactly.

I'm glad Coyne is speaking out. He wrote an excellent book about evolution last year that laid out the basics for anyone who wants to learn science instead of religion.

As an educator in the field, he and others need to speak out.

Fundie kids are at a disadvantage when they get to college unless they stay in the same bubble of delusion and attend a fundie college and become a fundie minister. However, those who go to public universities have to demonstrate they are capable of college-level work in the sciences because a university professor doesn't give a shit what your momma or daddy told you when you're looking at data.

[jody]

4. Many parents who home-school their children are not religious die-hards. n/t

[MineralMan]

8. It's a small minority, Jody.

[jody]

10. Do you have a source for your assertion "It's a small minority"? n/t

[FormerDittoHead]

17. Did you read the original post? "Federal statistics from 2007 show 83 percent..."

..that leaves 17 percent - a small minority.

just saying...

[Dappleganger]

19. Do you know who where the government gained those statistics?

My educated guess would be through HSLDA, who is known for their skewed homeschool polling. They have very little to do with non-fundy homeschoolers (we would rather stay as far away from them as possible). It's like Fox News supplying the government with their own polls as valid statistical information.

[jody]

20. Why do you assume "religious or moral instruction" means "reject evolution"? n/t

[mzteris]

21. also MORAL instruction

which may have NOTHING to do with fundamentalism or even RELIGION. And of those who claim "religious" reasons - they're not all fundies, either.

FYI - I used to be a member of the BUDDHIST Homeschooling GROUP.

[Dappleganger]

14. Untrue.

You're just too mesmerized by the circus people, which is a shame.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

16. Who are the "circus people"? Name names, please. -nt

[Dappleganger]

18. The circus people are the fundie homeschoolers who garner the most attention,

plastering themselves all over the news, giant homeschooling conventions, internet forums, etc.

I for one am tired of the broad-brush judgment against homeschoolers by people here on this board. The people in my homeschooling group (over 120 FAMILIES) don't go to conventions, are never asked to fill out surveys and no one asks us why we do what we do. But that's fine, we're doing it because we're loving parents like most other people and not trying to gain attention (quite the opposite, actually). Many of us have children in regular public school and one or more at home using various curricula, either provided through the school system or what we've pulled together ourselves.

We are reasonable people who appreciate the freedom to teach each child according to their needs.

[mzteris]

22. +11111111111111111

:applause: :woohoo: :applause: :bounce: :toast: :bounce: :applause: :woohoo: :applause:

EXACTLY!!!!

[Maat]

32. +1

Exactly!

I belong to a school of 2000 families, and I hang around at least 100 of them. Not a one uses any creationist textbook.

But, then, we don't want to interrupt their anti-home-schooling party, now do we?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

15. 27.7% is a minority. Admittedly, not THAT small. Repost this to jody -- he has me on ignore.

http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2006/homeschool/TableDisplay.asp?TablePath=TablesHTML/table_4.asp

[mzteris]

23. AND - oftimes -

people have more than "one" reason for hs'ing. Most times, actually.

The thing is, if your child were in a situation whereby they could NOT get a "good" education in your local schools - for whatever reason - and you didn't have the wherewithal to private school (nor the stomach in some cases) - what would you do? Let your child suck it up and founder? Or would you choose the BEST VIABLE ALTERNATIVE you could find?

If all the school boards were overrun by fundies who imposed fundy curriculum on the traditional public schools, would you consider homeschooling?

[Igel]

26. I used to work with a homeschooler.

She'd fall in the majority on this poll.

She taught her kids pacificism and to be "citizens of the world." She was certified in Montessori.

I guess she could be considered a fundamentalist of some sort. Just not a Xian one. The survey doesn't say what people infer. I don't know how big a mismatch there is -- just that logically there could be one and from experience there is one.

[Bill McBlueState]

24. Great!

But there are enough 'religious die-hards' doing it to be worth talking about.

[Odin2005]

25. And here comes the "most homeschoolers are fundies" lies.

:banghead.

[theorbiter]

27. Hmmm..

as one who was raised by ex "hippies" and later spent my teen years and early adulthood hanging around the "punk rock scene" I can honestly say I have only encountered home school advocates of the leftist variety. Most were self proclaimed anarchists. Presently the only home school folks I know are leftist atheists.

It seems to me that home schooling for "moral reasons" could infer a plethora of reasons besides religious fundamentalism.

[mwb970]

28. You must live in the city.

Out in the sticks, most home-schoolers are Christianist wackos protecting their spawn from the truth.

[JoeyT]

29. Yeah, that's what I've met too.

Out in the country most of the home-schools are done to keep their kids away from science or to keep their kids away from minorities.

Course once we've gone to an all-charter school system we won't have to worry about that any more.