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The teacher should have never had god as a debatable example. she could have picked anything else to make a comparison.
It's not debatable ... That's the whole point. No matter what anyone's belief system, the existence of God cannot be proven. It is not a fact. That doesn't dispute anyone's beliefs.
The teachers are given leeway to create their own assignments per the district so that concept isn't abnormal
I taught 27 years, I know that. Teachers, however, if they choose to create their own lessons, must take great care to make sure the lesson is appropriate. That means it addresses the standard being taught, that means it fits in their developmental level, that means it is culturally sensitive, that means it is academically assessable. The lesson fails on several of those factors but the biggest is that it isn't culturally sensitive and there were other culturally sensitive examples she could have used to make her point, including using the Easter Bunny or Superman.
Listen, I taught evolution smack in the middle of the Bible Belt, I know there are times when you have no choice but to tread on your students' belief systems. This was not one of those times.
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I won't vote in the poll because it's designed to assume that what the 12-year-old told her mother (and what's being reported by FOX News) is 100% what really happened. What do you wanna bet the teacher actually told the students "some people believe God is a myth."
Notice the linked-to article has NO COMMENT WHATSOEVER from the teacher. Only the word of a 12-year-old, corroborated by other 12-year-olds, and immediately carried to the school board by an over-reacting parent who clearly believes unquestioningly in the Christian Lord.
Asking a student to support his or her viewpoint (more likely what they were taught by parents) seems to me a reasonable assignment, although what could anyone expect, given this occurred in Texas. Did the person who created the assignment actually think any Texan 12-year-old would argue an atheist view in front of his or her peers?
Last edited by Jukesgrrl; 10-28-2015 at 09:52 PM..
Reason: spelling
The school probably cannot or will not comment on the particulars of the case, which is also typical of these types of family/school disputes.
Not really. The school cannot comment on anything about an individual student due to confidentiality laws, just as the school cannot comment on job actions. However, the school is totally free to talk about its curriculum and how it is being covered.
I disagree. It's not teaching a specific belief. It's simply teaching that beliefs aren't fact. That this is even news supports the need for the lesson. Apparently it's a distinction that even adults struggle with.
Personally I think it was inappropriate, but I can see your point.
But I firmly believe it was an unwise lesson plan.
Another reason to home school your kids. Education is just another word for indoctrination. Kids sit and are programmed with biased information and programmed with a method for analyzing and processing information. Kids are made into robots as opposed to organically learning about the world around the and seeking out knowledge and information. People who are "educated" are programmed. When someone says he or she is proud to be educated he or she is saying he or she is too dumb to think for him or herself and had to be told how and what to think instead of developing it organically.
I don't see how people can consider God a myth when they espouse the crazy idea that such complex life forms made up of trillions of cells and 2 billion nucleotides where just 1 mutation can render one a vegetable and that have to work together is the result of a random process of evolution. Just because humans share genes with the most basic animals doesn't mean we randomly evolved. There is no evidence to support that conclusion and no scientific evidence to support the conclusion of a common creator who designed both creatures which makes sense. Yet "scientists" tout one theory and disregard the other even though neither can be proven.
We are somewhat in agreement. As an educator I would hope that you would home-school your children. Your views are not compatible with the approved curriculum of almost any state. No need to set up tension and strife.
I taught 27 years, I know that. Teachers, however, if they choose to create their own lessons, must take great care to make sure the lesson is appropriate. That means it addresses the standard being taught, that means it fits in their developmental level, that means it is culturally sensitive, that means it is academically assessable. The lesson fails on several of those factors but the biggest is that it isn't culturally sensitive and there were other culturally sensitive examples she could have used to make her point, including using the Easter Bunny or Superman.
Listen, I taught evolution smack in the middle of the Bible Belt, I know there are times when you have no choice but to tread on your students' belief systems. This was not one of those times.
Well stated.
I too was careful on how I taught evolution in my earth science classes. I frequently included a statement that, "Today we are going to learn about the scientific beliefs about evolution. You and your parents may have a different belief. But this is science class, so we will discuss the science of the topic. You are free to believe whatever you wish."
Never heard a peep from parents until the concluding activity was a 1-2 page essay. The kids could pick either: "Why I believe in evolution", or "Why I don't believe in evolution". If they were at all thoughtful, despite what position they took, they got an A. That was the year I had several complaints where parents literally said, "I don't want my child to think."
I too was careful on how I taught evolution in my earth science classes. I frequently included a statement that, "Today we are going to learn about the scientific beliefs about evolution. You and your parents may have a different belief. But this is science class, so we will discuss the science of the topic. You are free to believe whatever you wish."
Never heard a peep from parents until the concluding activity was a 1-2 page essay. The kids could pick either: "Why I believe in evolution", or "Why I don't believe in evolution". If they were at all thoughtful, despite what position they took, they got an A. That was the year I had several complaints where parents literally said, "I don't want my child to think."
The mistake is setting up the question as EITHER "science" OR "religion," a patently false dichotomy … AND putting forth "science" as "thinking" and "religion" as "un-thinking" ...
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