Texas Public Schools: Still Teaching Creationism

[SpartanDem]

In Texas public schools, children learn that the Bible provides scientific proof that Earth is 6,000 years old, that the origins of racial diversity trace back to a curse placed on Noah's son, and that astronauts have discovered "a day missing in space" that corroborates biblical stories of the sun standing still.

These are some of the findings detailed in Reading, Writing & Religion II, a new report by the Texas Freedom Network that investigates how public schools in the Lone Star State promote religious fundamentalism under the guise of offering academic courses about the Bible. The report, written by Mark Chancey, a professor of religious studies at Southern Methodist University, found that more than half of the state's public-school Bible courses taught students to read the book from a specifically Christian theological perspective—a clear violation of rules governing the separation of church and state.

Many school districts pushed specific strains of fundamentalism in the classes:

"The Bible is the written word of God," proclaims a slide shown to students in suburban Houston's Klein Independent School District (ISD). Another slide adds: "The Bible is united in content because there is no contradictions [sic] in the writing. The reason for this is because the Bible is written under God's direction and inspiration."

A PowerPoint slide in Brenham ISD in Central Texas claims that "Christ's resurrection was an event that occurred in time and space—that is was, in reality, historical and not mythological." (emphasis in original)

In North Texas, Prosper ISD promotes the Rapture, claiming in course materials that "the first time the Lord gathered his people back was after the Babylonian captivity. The second time the Lord will gather his people back will be at the end of the age.

These fundy types never seem to give up

http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2013/01/how-texas-public-schools-still-teach-creationism

http://www.tfn.org/site/PageServer?pagename=issues_religious_freedom_bible_courses

[JaneyVee]

1. The RW wears anti-intellectualism like a badge of honor.

[gollygee]

2. I'd have to homeschool my kids

or find a real school in the private school world, despite my general support of public schools.

I used to say, "Oh, well it's Texas (or Florida, or Mississippi, or whatever), but now those of us in Michigan have to realize that any of this stuff could happen here too.

[DetlefK]

3. Can't wait for the discrimination lawsuits.

Would you hire an engineer who doesn't believe in the method of taking a look yourself (aka "science&quot ?

Would you hire a bank-teller or a clerk who believes we could all die any minute now?

Would you hire a waiter who thinks all blacks are cursed?

Would you hire anyone who is completely out of touch with the accepted world-view of the mainstream?
Someone who doesn't bother to regularly check his knowledge with new experiences and information?
Someone who thinks anybody who says otherwise is part of a massive evil conspiracy, a heretic, possibly a servant of Satan himself?

If someone is so uninformed, would you trust this person making decisions for you? Your health? Your life? Your loved ones? Your money? Your job? Your reputation?

[justabob]

4. lots of bosses with the same views nt

[LibertyLover]

5. Sadly, the mainstream increasingly

is composed of people who believe in creationism. A recent Gallup poll found that 46% of the population believe in some type of creationism, whether theistic evolution or strict creationism. That's up 2 or 3 percentage points from 30 years ago. Hard to believe in this day and age.

[sadbear]

6. If anyone ever gets a chance to see The Revisionaries, please watch.

http://www.therevisionariesmovie.com/

Education in Texas will be hamstrung by this bullshit at least until 2020.