[StJacques]

The debate over Intelligent Design/Creationism/Evolution in the public schools needs to be handled outside of a biology class, because, of the three, only the Theory of Evolution posits a potentially-disprovable hypothesis as scientific theories must do.

I would very much favor a required course on "Critical Thinking" for high school students in which the entire debate was aired out fully, not as an entire course mind you, because training in logic and rhetoric, epistemology (Theories of Knowledge), and a brief overview of schools of philosophical thought should form the greater part of the course. But once the students get a background in the "tools of critical thinking," they could then go on to an exercise in using those tools, and this debate would be a very good subject to examine. I have no problem whatsoever with Intelligent Design or Creationism being presented to students in their methodological context, which is to say that both are metaphysical and Creationism also has strong overtones of religious belief attached. I want students to know and understand the principles of reasoning that are involved in when approaching such a debate.

But I have a very big problem with forcing metaphysical constructs into a science class. That brings us right back to Galileo before the Inquisition.

[js1138]

It would be good for interested students to learn something of the history of science and how its methodologies developed over time.

[Stultis]

and this debate would be a very good subject to examine

Disagree. See my #261. Most teachers could probably handle this reasonably well, but it would invite religion and antireligion partisans to engage in "spinning" the curricula and subverting your intent. It would only take a small percentage of teachers behaving in such opportunistic faction to make a complete fiasco of your scheme.

[PatrickHenry]

I want students to know and understand the principles of reasoning that are involved in when approaching such a debate.

That's not fair! If students learned how to think, then creationism would be in deep trouble. It's gotta be slipped into the science books as if it were a scientific theory. That way the world will be a better place, crime will be only a memory, and teen pregnancy will be no more.

[ml1954]

I would very much favor a required course on "Critical Thinking" for high school students in which the entire debate was aired out fully, not as an entire course mind you, because training in logic and rhetoric, epistemology (Theories of Knowledge), and a brief overview of schools of philosophical thought should form the greater part of the course.

What debate? It's a religious debate. I'm with you on the 'critical thinking'....but what are they to be taught?.. that there is no debate in the scientific community, nor among the leadership of the majority of Christian religions. I do not think that 'critical thinking' per say is undertaught in American schools. I think the targets of this 'critical thinking' and the definition of 'critical thinking' are the issue.

training in logic and rhetoric, epistemology (Theories of Knowledge), and a brief overview of schools of philosophical thought should form the greater part of the course.

Won't happen in the Ipod age. IMHO, smart students can educate themselves provided they are not insulated from and discouraged from pursuing knowledge. Perhaps some others would benefit from a 'Critical Thinking' thinking class such as you describe, but I doubt it, and in the liberal USA of teachers, guess what they'll be 'critical' of. A more modest goal in my mind, and an achievable one, is to keep religious dogma out of science classes.