Creationism has no place in school

As a former science teacher in High School Districts 214 and 113 and a former young earth creationist, I find it disconcerting that there are school board candidates who would like to put the nonscience of Intelligent Design and creationism into the science curriculum. What next?

In the interest of teaching both sides, should we add alchemy to the chemistry classes, astrology to the astronomy classes, and magic and miracles to the physics classes?

I decided to study both sides of the issue after retirement, especially after Pope John Paul II’s 1996 Truth Cannot Contradict Truth Encyclical in which the Catholic Church accepted evolution as God’s plan for humanity. Even with my physics background, it was difficult to overcome my Confirmation Bias where the emotional, belief portion of my brain shuts down the logical, thinking side of my brain when I encounter evidence contrary to my beliefs.

Several years of reading scientific and creationist literature convinced me that pre-eminent biologist Theodosius Dobzhansky was correct when he concluded, “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.” I have to agree with the conservative Christian judge in the 2005 Kitzmiller vs. Dover School Board Intelligent Design trial, John E. Jones III, when he issued the opinion that ID and creationism have no basis in science.

Still, if the school board candidates want students to have the opportunity to learn about creationism, and I have no objection, they should propose that the school offer a course in comparative religions where students could study a wide variety of creation stories, not just the Genesis version.

Finally, a creationist should stick to his beliefs and principles and tell his doctor that he does not want any medical procedure or medicine. vaccines, antibiotics, that were developed because of our understanding of biological evolution.

David Thiessen

Woodstock