What is taught in TN schools? (Greeneville: appointed, credit, school districts)

[WOWAddict]

Florida to decide today about teaching evolution (broken link)


Was just curious.

Everyone I ever encountered who believed in evolution always gives me a blank stare when I ask where did the rock that went bang come from? or they say we dont know yet. Yet I have to explain where God came from with a thesis. I cant say its God he has no beginning or end.

Thats not a bash on evolution I just want answers before I start to consider it.

[johnbain]

I think it's disgusting when they try to ban prayer in schools. Of course you should not force anyone to pray but if certain children want to pray then let them.

[jabogitlu]

Prayer is not banned in schools. That is, if **I** want to pray in school, I can. If the administrator decides that the teacher shall lead the class in prayer, then that is a whole different matter. At my high school, there was a Christian group, and "Bible as History" was a class.

I hardly think the Christians are being persecuted in this matter. I think it's disgusting when they try to slip around the Constitution, but that's just me.


Anyway. Sorry, just had to deal with that. As for what is taught, I was taught evolution (micro and macro), and Darwin's theory (selectivity) as a means of explaining these natural processes. That was in bio. In Anatomy & Physiology, the subject wasn't touched.

Please do note, though, that evolution is NOT a theory of universal inception. I think you might have the two confused.

ETA- I went to high school in Greeneville.

[Capt. Dan]

We've come along way in Tennessee since The Scopes Monkey Trial!

[Beretta]

Some say that what is taught in school in TN is the TCAP material.
TDOE: Assessment, Evaluation and Research Division

[akm4]

Originally Posted by Lt. Dan

We've come along way in Tennessee since The Scopes Monkey Trial!

Yeah, wasn't that a proud chapter in our state's history?

My children are taught sound science in their science classes. They are taught theological theory in their church and home.

It's an arrangement that works well for us.

[gemkeeper]

Originally Posted by SmokyMtnGal

Some say that what is taught in school in TN is the TCAP material.
TDOE: Assessment, Evaluation and Research Division

Unfortunately, SMG, that is the case in most states. I don't know about TN, but if they are following the trend then I would guess that it is probably true for TN schools.

This has become a necessary evil in many school districts just to keep their accreditation and their state and federal funding. If the scores slip, so do the funds... then the schools slip even further! What a system.

If you speak to teachers, they too generally hate this curriculum being forced upon them. There are not enough hours in the day now to cover this mandated curriculum, let alone the subjects and materials that really stimulate the learning bug.

Our children are being cheated of well-rounded, stimulating educations that entice them to excel and strive for more knowledge.

Children who are taught creative thinking and receive the encouragement to follow their own interests learn not only required curricula, but blast out of the institutional shell and teach themselves.

Children, just by the nature of the beast (and I use that with fondness!), love to learn, explore and share information. It is a joy to watch young minds grab an idea, twist and turn it, spin it off to their classmates and REALLY make a discovery!

This does not often happen when teachers must teach to a test. This is often fact based teaching. Nothing creative going on here. You asks nothing of the students' minds except attention. Nothing creative going on there, either.

Real learning happens when it is student driven. And, please let's get back to student-driven education and exceptional budding minds!!!

(Jabogitlu, did you mean "universe inception"? I don't think that the difference between absolute origin and progressive adaptation matter too much to Creationists.

The Creation theory should absolutely be taught, if only as a footnote, so as not to offend the Constitutionalists, as another widely accepted theory. In my humble opinion.)

[ariesjow]

Originally Posted by johnbain

I think it's disgusting when they try to ban prayer in schools. Of course you should not force anyone to pray but if certain children want to pray then let them.

An individual's right to prayer is not and cannot be banned in schools. However, a school administration cannot compel students to pray or show preferential treatment towards any religion. A moment of silence is perfectly appropriate but a public school teacher making her class bow their heads and reciting a prayer would clearly be unconstitutional.

[jabogitlu]

I did mean that, thanks -- but in a way, it's universal inception, so my grammar wasn't wrong, just miscalculated.

I just meant to point out that the theory of evolution is not a theory of "where it all came from" -- it doesn't even address it. And you're right, this is different than Creationism, where the beginning is the beginning, the middle, and purportedly the end, without change, and thus no need for evolution. This is what mystifies me when people say, "You believe in evolution?? Well, where'd it COME from???" That's like saying "You think NAFTA is a good idea? Well, what about Pangaea, eh???" It just don't fit.

I'm not completely against teaching Creation theory; hushing it up is just ridiculous and counterproductive. But what're we going to teach about it? There is no science. I think the best approach in the classroom is to explain about the fossil record, geological layer data, etc. as evidence for an evolutionary-based worldview. Then the church, or the family, can take up what created the beginnings, or what the driving force behind evolution may be*. Evolution is fact; it is going on around us daily. (Of course, some fundamentalists react to this with "Well, yes, microevolution is real, but macroevolution is not!") The religious right heirarchy-establishment has turned "evolution" (and "liberal," for that matter) into a dirty word to propel people into the voting booths so they can keep their jobs as elected and appointed officials, but the truth is evolution means just that - change. Nothing huge like "There Is No God."

That's where fundamentalism gets into hot water, and messes us all up. The refusal to believe that parts of the Bible concerned with the beginning may be somewhat allegorical. The fact that some parts of the Bible are automatically taken as allegorical and some are expected to be taken as fact is a little strange to me, and was a key factor in my "Huh??" weekly as I sat in the pew.


*My aforementioned bio teacher did this in a very classy manner. Before we started she said plainly, Look, some of you may not believe this, or for some of you it may go against what your families or churches believe or teach. For some of you, it may already be what you believe. We're going to examine it through a scientific perspective, and if you still don't believe it, that's fine, just study for the tests and put down the answers according to the evolutionary model. She never told us what she believed, which was key in the process, I think.

[Bear Creek]

I believe, with respect, in both God and M theory. I think most scientists seek the truth and I believe God has no problem with the truth. But if I may, [a little off topic] this thread reminded me of an experience I had at my first teacher's meeting, a long time ago. I was so excited. The teachers were divided into groups of 15. One new teacher per group. We went to our individual rooms and sat at one long table. I sat at the corner across from one of the kindergarten teachers who was making "eyes" at me. I was shocked. The vice-principal sat down at the head of the table and began the meeting with the declaration that subject of the meeting will be....the star-spangled banner. Well, I looked about, in my confusion, and noticed the kindergarten teacher's eyes had gotten worse. And then a teacher stood up and said she believed the star-spangled banner was so beautiful it could have only been written by God. Well, I thought that was.. interesting, but I didn't see what had to do with my teaching art classes to the little germ factories. "Let us put it to a vote." said the vice-principal. Yes for God. No for Francis Scott Key. And to my amazement each teacher started verbally voting yes. And the vote was coming towards me. And the kindergarten teacher's face was getting red and she was humming out the side of her mouth, "Vote yes..Voot yees.. and she was kicking me under the table. Then the vice-principal called my name and I said, "Says good to me.. yes." And that was the end of my first teacher's meeting.