Creationism doesn’t belong in classroom
According to a Daily Herald story, “two candidates for the Fremont School District 79 board — including the panel’s current president — believe creationism should be taught alongside evolution in science classes.”
Board President Sandra Bickley said: “I think from a scientific standpoint (creationism) can be given as a viewpoint ... (It’s) another theory to consider.”
It is especially upsetting that a person this high in the educational hierarchy should be so misinformed. First, as to what constitutes a “theory” in science and second as to what our constitution says. Her faith-based beliefs are founded on things that can never be proven.
Important as these are to her and many people, they do not belong in a science class or public school curriculum.
Theories accepted within science must be based on evidence and observation. The philosophy governing science demands these proofs before acceptance as a “theory” and even then the theories remain eternally tentative until proven otherwise.
At a time when the education of our children is how they must win the future, keeping the dogma out of classrooms is how we might attempt to regain worldwide respectability in our science pedagogical standards.
Given the fiduciary responsibility accorded board members, I am surprised that candidates Bickley and Hansen would stray into such reckless financial territory. Several SCOTUS decisions over the past 50 years have affirmed the founding father’s intent to keep the government out of religion.
The Dover, Pa., school board skirted with this issue five years ago and wound up paying the plaintiff’s legal costs of over $1 million.
Being a resident of Avon Township, I do not have a dog in this fight. I write to urge those who do vote in that district to consider the potential danger these two candidates represent and to get involved with the rest of your school district so that saner choices can be made.
Bill Pogson
Grayslake