Kentucky Educator Upset State Biology Test Teaches Evolution, Omits Creationism
Go figure that in the state of Kentucky, which houses the infamous Creation Museum, there would be a school superintendent who has a problem with a state biology test that treats evolution as fact.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that Hart County Superintendent Ricky D. Line raised objections over the new state biology test in emails and letters to the state education commissioner and education board.
Line was offended the biology test omits the “creation story” that cites God as the originator of the universe.
Here’s what he said: “I have a very difficult time believing that we have come to a point … that we are teaching evolution … as a factual occurrence, while totally omitting the creation story by a God who is bigger than all of us,” he wrote. “My feeling is if the Commonwealth’s site-based councils, school board members, superintendents and parents were questioned … one would find this teaching contradictory to the majority’s belief systems.”
Maybe teaching evolution is contradictory to the majority of Kentuckian’s belief systems. We don’t know for sure on a state-by-state basis. The most recent poll, from 2006, put America just ahead of Turkey among nations that least believe in evolution. But this seems wholly contrary to the concept of schooling, especially considering Line isn’t a parent, but the lead educator in Hart County.
Terry Holliday, Kentucky’s state education commissioner, said the state biology test would deal with evolution as theory, not fact; teachers in Kentucky may discuss theories of creation other than evolution, but are not required to do so. The biology teachers in Hart County complained to Line that they would have to spend a great deal of time teaching evolution to prepare students for the test.
“My argument is, do we want our children to be taught these things as facts?” Line said. “I don’t think life on earth began as a one-celled organism. I don’t think that all of us came from a common ancestor … I don’t think the Big Bang theory describes the explanation of the origin of the universe.”
As reason for changing the state’s science curriculum, he argued, “that the great majority of scientists felt Pluto was a planet until a short time ago, and now they have totally changed that.”
Deep breaths. Deep breaths.
Where do the sensible people of this world even begin with a story like this. It’s enough to just throw your hands in the air and give up. The first problem with this story is Kentucky doesn’t require the teaching of evolution as fact. Not even the state’s education commissioner seems willing to take the radical stance that evolution is a biological fact. But in a biology class, there is nothing theoretical about evolution.
There’s science. There’s religion. There’s nothing that says the two can’t co-exist. Or that kids have to learn one or the other. People are certainly free to practice their religion in America however they see fit. But religious and theological classes don’t teach evolution, and therefore, science classes shouldn’t be required to teach Christian creationism. It really is that simple.
Line comes from a position assuming his Christian creationism myth is fact. He would never argue for teaching Egyptian creationism, Native American creationism or Islamic creationism.
Line does need a correction with regards to Pluto, by the way. The IAU didn’t just announce that Pluto no longer existed or that it wasn’t a planet, contrary to years of scientific knowledge. They didn’t change any theories about Pluto. Instead, the IAU decided to reclassify Pluto as a dwarf planet.
Using Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf planet as justification for not teaching evolution in biology class is the most specious reasoning possible.
Even more offensive to good educators everywhere is the sad reality that America is still fighting this tired argument some 90 years after the Scopes Monkey Trial. It’s just depressing, a bit appalling, and indicative of the sad state of affairs in America.
Just wait until the good superintendent finds out they is learnin’ these kids that the earth is ROUND!
But, wait, there’s more fun to be had! Head on over to Headlines That Suck to throw down some punchlines for this very headline and many others just like it.
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