[William McKinley]

I don't get not teaching creationism. Now, I may be biased because I am religious, but doesn't it just make sense to teach it based on how much of our population believes it? How are we supposed to function as a nation if half the people aren't taught what the other half believe, at least enough to understand the way they think and where they are coming from?

My kids attend private Christian school. I would be upset if they didn't learn the theory of evolution...as a theory.

[Dimensio]

I don't get not teaching creationism.

Which creation myth should be taught, and in what context -- apart from science, since religious stories don't belong in scientific discussion -- should it be taught?

[jennyp]

I don't get not teaching creationism. Now, I may be biased because I am religious, but doesn't it just make sense to teach it based on how much of our population believes it?

Not in science class, no! Science classes should be teaching kids what the consensus view of working scientists is. And that's evolution, overwhelmingly.

How are we supposed to function as a nation if half the people aren't taught what the other half believe, at least enough to understand the way they think and where they are coming from?

I don't see anything wrong with that. But the underlying debate in the school boards across the country is more what the official curricula and textbooks will be. That's quite different than discussing a fringe theory in class when a student asks about it.

I think a good analogy is discussing astrology in astronomy class. Should astrology be included in the textbooks? Hardly. (Except to point out why it can't be right.) Or discussing Communism in economics class. Sure, it's historically important, but should the textbooks describe it neutrally, as in "here's another theory that some economists hold"? I would hope not!

Well, intellectually & professionally, creationism is just as far from the consensus view of science as those two. I say HS science classes should treat it with the same amount of deference. (Ditto for undergrad college courses.)

Now, in upper level college classes, it might be different. I wouldn't mind seeing a graduate level seminar in ID, if a professor wanted to teach one. Colleges seem to be the place where any damfool idea can get a respectful hearing. :-)

[Mr Crontab]

Teaching creationism would be OK. I like the Navaho version, but the Hopi version is cool as well. They make the '7 days and 7 nights' thing look pretty boring in comparison.

[Mr Crontab]

>How are we supposed to function as a nation if half the people aren't taught what the other half believe

By that reasoning, we should teach that 'reality' TV shows are really real, and that AOL is a good internet provider... (shudders)