We must protect the sacred scrolls that scientifically prove apes are descended from man...
Posted on 05/12/2005 5:30:04 AM PDT by wallcrawlr
With its lavish illustrations of colorful, cuddly critters, "Our Family Tree" looks like the kind of book kids keep by their bedside to read again and again.
But when its St. Paul author, Lisa Westberg Peters, planned to talk about the book in classroom appearances today and Friday at a Monticello, Minn., elementary school, educators got cold feet.
"Our Family Tree" focuses on evolution, the scientific explanation for human origins that some believe contradicts biblical teachings. Peters' appearances, which were to focus on helping kids learn how to write, were canceled.
"It's a cute book. There's nothing wrong with it. We just don't need that kind of debate," said Brad Sanderson, principal at Pinewood Elementary.
Monticello's assistant superintendent, Jim Johnson, said school officials made a reasonable request of Peters to talk about writing but leave the discussion about evolution to teachers. When she refused, the visit was scuttled.
Across the country, there has been increasing opposition to teaching evolution. Peters said officials at two other Minnesota school districts have asked her not to talk about the book in visits over the past year.
The author believes that she is being censored -- something the schools deny.
"Once you start censoring, it's a slippery slope. Are geology and physics next? You have to stop it right away," said Peters, who won a Minnesota Book Award for "Our Family Tree," published in 2003.
In Kansas, the State Board of Education is expected to require that teachers tell students that evolution is controversial. Bills have been introduced in Georgia and Alabama to allow educators to question evolution in the classroom and offer alternatives.
Last year, the Grantsburg, Wis., school district drew widespread attention when a new policy urged teachers to explore alternative theories to evolution.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
ping
Censorship is when the government prevents you from reading something. This is "choosing curriculum". As best I can tell, the book is not banned from the premises.
Does it illustrate how giraffes streeeeetched their necks to get taller each generation?
This kind of chicken-heartedness on the part of our educators will only hurt our country further in the competition for jobs based on advanced education. If we decide that the scientific method should be jettisoned whenever it doesn't confirm somebody's personal religious beliefs, we will be left in the dust by countries such as India and China.
In the school's push to help kids learn to write, I hear they had four proposals:
1) Write about Evolution
2) Write about Evil Jooos oppressing Palestinians
3) Write about how America causes all the world's problems
4) Write about how your family celebrates your favorite day.
Since the first choice is no longer an option, they'll have to pick one of the others. I'm not optimistic that #4 will get many votes.
Clarify:
Are you saying that Indians and Chinese have no personal religious beliefs?? That doesnt make sense.
We must protect the sacred scrolls that scientifically prove apes are descended from man...
The bible is a great example of a book that is truly censored in public elememtary schools.
Or how the cow evolved from the pine tree?
Ping.
You want this thread to get an evo ping?
This is just "par for the course" these days.
All you have to do is draw the pictures: Pine tree ... pine tree with legs ... cow covered with pine needles ... cow. Everyone knows that a theory is true if you show pictures to illustrate it - especially if the pictures are computer-generated!
50/50 on this one. :-) LOL!
Oh yeah. This is one of those cultural thingies.
I hope you were being sarcastic.
She should be censored. She is promoting a particular religion, not science.
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