W. Frank Walton
04/15/09
When our children bring home the grade of "F" on their report cards, we parents tend to get excited. A failing grade always indicates a serious problem. Wise parents don’t simply go ballistic at the news; they try to determine the reason for the failing grade if the cause is not already known. Usually the student failed to study the material diligently enough or neglected to turn in homework, but occasionally the problem is that the teacher actually failed…to communicate the necessary information in a clear fashion.
The state of Alabama recently received an "F" for its efforts at teaching evolution in biology classes in public schools. The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, an education reform group, evaluated the nation’s states on their performance in teaching evolution and gave Alabama its failing grade. Why did Alabama do so poorly?
Before we parents/taxpayers go ballistic at another apparent failure in public education, we should realize that Alabama’s failing grade stems from an insert which the state school board puts into biology textbooks. The eight-paragraph insert notes that the general theory of evolution taught in the textbooks is exactly that…a theory, not a fact. The insert encourages students to consider other points of view for the origin of the world and cites, by means of pertinent questions, some critical weaknesses of the general theory of evolution.
That is entirely unacceptable to Dr. Lawrence Lerner, professor emeritus at California State University, and the author of the Fordham Foundation report. Apparently Dr. Lerner objects to students having information which would allow them to compare the general theory of evolution to other views, including special creation as described in the Bible ("…in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them,…" Exodus 20:11).
What is it that Dr. Lerner fears the students of Alabama will learn from the insert? Could it be that the general theory of evolution might suffer from the light of HONEST investigation? If the theory of evolution is so obviously true, it would seem that honest investigation would only confirm its truth, but the reaction of Dr. Lerner is telling. It always amazes me how quickly the charge of religious bigotry is trotted out by those who are quite anxious to silence any reference to Biblical teachings! Rest assured that when folks want opposing viewpoints silenced, they doubt the strength of their own.
I learned from my earliest science classes in public schools that the "scientific method" benefits from the open mind of the observer. According to Dr. Lerner, Alabama science students may have open minds as long as they only consider evolution as a viable option for world origin. The truth is that Dr. Lerner and other rabid evolutionists are unwilling for young minds to know the dirty little secrets of the general theory of evolution, weaknesses which, if known, would cause them to look with skepticism at this "theory."
Congratulations, Alabama, for your good grade in this area!