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Georgia may shun 'evolution' in schools
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 1/29/2004 | MARY MacDONALD

Posted on 01/29/2004 3:08:06 AM PST by Ben Chad

Revised curriculum plan outrages science teachers

By MARY MacDONALD The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia students could graduate from high school without learning much about evolution, and may never even hear the word uttered in class.

New middle and high school science standards proposed by state Schools Superintendent Kathy Cox strike references to "evolution" and replace them with the term "biological changes over time," a revision critics say will further weaken learning in a critical subject.

Outraged teachers already have told the state it is undercutting the science education of young Georgians.

"Just like any major issue people need to deal with, you need to know the facts," said David Bechler, head of the biology department at Valdosta State University. A member of the committee that worked on the biology standards, Bechler said he was stunned to learn that evolution was not in the final proposal.

"Whether you believe in creationism or not, evolution should be known and understood by the public," he argued.

Cox declined requests for an interview on the issue. A spokesman issued a statement Wednesday that said: "The discussion of evolution is an age-old debate and it is clear that there are those in Georgia who are passionate on both sides of the issue -- we want to hear from all of them."

Cox, a Republican elected to the state's top public school position in 2002, addressed the issue briefly in a public debate during the campaign. The candidates were asked about a school dispute in Cobb County over evolution and Bible-based teachings on creation.

Cox responded: "It was a good thing for parents and the community to stand up and say we want our children exposed to this [creationism] idea as well. . . . I'd leave the state out of it and I would make sure teachers were well prepared to deal with competing theories."

Gateway course

Biology is a gateway course to future studies of the life sciences. And scientists consider evolution the basis for biology, a scientific explanation for the gradual process that has resulted in the diversity of living things.

If the state does not require teachers to cover evolution thoroughly, only the most politically secure teachers will attempt to do so, said Wes McCoy, a 26-year biology teacher at North Cobb High School. Less experienced teachers will take their cue from the state requirements, he said.

"They're either going to tread very lightly or they're going to ignore it," McCoy said. "Students will be learning some of the components of evolution. They're going to be missing how that integrates with the rest of biology. They may not understand how evolution explains the antibiotic resistance in bacteria."

The state curriculum does not preclude an individual public school system from taking a deeper approach to evolution, or any other topic. And the proposed change would not require school systems to buy new textbooks that omit the word.

But Georgia's curriculum exam, the CRCT, will be rewritten to align with the new curriculum. And the state exam is the basis for federal evaluation, which encourages schools and teachers to focus on teaching the material that will be tested.

A year in the works

The revision of Georgia's curriculum began more than a year ago as an attempt to strengthen the performance of students by requiring greater depth on essential topics. The new curriculum will replace standards adopted in 1984 that have been criticized by many educators as shallow. The state Board of Education is expected to vote on the revised curriculum in May.

The Georgia Department of Education based its biology curriculum on national standards put forth by a respected source, the American Association for the Advancement of Science. But while the state copied most of the national standards, it deleted much of the section that covers the origin of living things.

A committee of science teachers, college professors and curriculum experts was involved in reviewing the proposal. The state did not specify why the references to evolution were removed, and by whom, even to educators involved in the process.

Terrie Kielborn, a middle school science teacher in Paulding County who was on the committee, recalled that Stephen Pruitt, the state's curriculum specialist for science, told the panel not to include the word evolution.

"We were pretty much told not to put it in there," Kielborn said. The rationale was community reaction, she said.

"When you say the word evolution, people automatically, whatever age they are, think of the man-monkey thing," Kielborn said.

Pruitt could not be reached Wednesday for comment.

Cox released the state's proposed new curriculum on Jan. 12 and invited comments on all subject areas for the next three months from parents, teachers and students. She described the new curriculum as world-class and said it provides clear direction to teachers for the first time on what will be expected of students.

Backlash a result

The biology revision was eagerly awaited by a strongly organized network of scientists, university professors and classroom teachers. Several teachers and professors say they are pleased the state adopted large sections of the national standards, which include a strengthened explanation of the nature of science, the function and structure of cells and genetics.

But the treatment of evolution prompted a backlash. More than 600 Georgians, including professors and teachers, by Wednesday had signed an online petition challenging the curriculum as misguided.

If Georgia approves the revised curriculum, the state will be among six that avoid the word "evolution" in science teaching, according to the National Center for Science Education, a nonprofit organization that advocates for evolution instruction.

Many other states, including North Carolina and South Carolina, have adopted national standards that cover evolution in detail.

The word "evolution" itself is important because it is a scientific term, said Sarah Pallas, an associate professor of biology at Georgia State University. "Students need to know the language of science," she said. "They don't need to know euphemisms. It's just silly."

The proposed changes in the Georgia curriculum would leave students with tremendous gaps when they reach college, Pallas said.

"The students from other states always perform better in my classes, and that's a real indictment of the state educational system," the professor said. "North Carolina, another very conservative state, adopted all of the benchmarks. If they can do it in North Carolina, why can't Georgia do it?"

Debate over how and whether to teach evolution has divided communities and states for years.

In metro Atlanta, the Cobb County school system became the center of national attention in 2002 after it placed disclaimers about evolution in science textbooks and adopted a policy that could have allowed discussion of alternate views in science class.

The Cobb superintendent defused the dispute by issuing guidelines for teachers that told them to stick to the state curriculum.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Georgia
KEYWORDS: crevolist; education; evolution
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To: realpatriot71
Not me - teach it.

My point here was that if there any "nazis" or "communists" in this story, it is the creationists, not the ACLU or whatever.

281 posted on 01/30/2004 10:36:57 AM PST by RightWingNilla
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To: Dimensio
What probabilities?

Probabilities that life could have risen by itself, and furthermore that life could have made its way from single cell creatures to what we see to day. It all so highly unprobable as to be rediculous, but we're here so it must have happened (QED?)

That reason is that there is genetic evidence for beneficial mutation.

Give me an example of what you call a beneficial mutation.

I'd address this, but "the origin of life from chemicals" is utterly irrelevant to evolution.

You're right of course, evolution deals with life, not before life. Ironically, life has to form from chemicals before evolution can happen, so it's such a bitch when the lack of biochemical theories screws up the beginning of the first cell. No first cell, no evolution - therefore, COMPLETELY revelvant.

282 posted on 01/30/2004 10:37:21 AM PST by realpatriot71 (It's time to build a freakin' wall!)
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To: Dimensio
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/974239/posts

This article is about a School Wyoming, notice how even those who disagree with creationism does so in a calm manner and how they don't try to insult Wyoming, or it's citizens.

Now compare that to this thread, where every other of the first 25 posts were potshot insults directed the state of Georgia and/or it's citizens, because Georgia is in the Southeast. There in lies the hypocrisy I am talking about.

283 posted on 01/30/2004 10:37:45 AM PST by Paul C. Jesup
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To: Dimensio
A gun can make someone do anything, but it doesn't change the way they think

Don't be dense

284 posted on 01/30/2004 10:39:13 AM PST by realpatriot71 (It's time to build a freakin' wall!)
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To: RightWingNilla
Haven't you taken any molecular genetics?

Plenty - my degree was in molecular biology, and the science of human disease is basically problems at the biochemical/molecular level of cells. I don't have to believe in evolution as a means of origins to understand any of this.

285 posted on 01/30/2004 10:42:13 AM PST by realpatriot71 (It's time to build a freakin' wall!)
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To: realpatriot71
Probabilities that life could have risen by itself, and furthermore that life could have made its way from single cell creatures to what we see to day. It all so highly unprobable as to be rediculous, but we're here so it must have happened (QED?)

Appears that statistics is just another subject you don't understand yet.

286 posted on 01/30/2004 10:43:49 AM PST by balrog666 (Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.)
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To: RightWingNilla
The creationsts are the ones who would like to see certain knowledge prohibited from being taught in schools. If there was a viable alternative scientific theory in addition to evolution, rest assured it would be included in the curriculum. But there isn't.

Your right. I know a few who, if they had their way, would cut a lot of biology, astronomy, and general science out of the curriculum. They don't find it funny when I ask if they think the Universe rotates around Earth, or the Sun rotates around the Earth.

I have no problem with teaching evolution and mentioning creation and other views as an alternative. I have a problem with cutting out a large chunk of science and only mentioning creation. If anything, I think it'd be good if kids were told about the alternatives to evolution, it might force them to think a little more.

287 posted on 01/30/2004 10:47:18 AM PST by af_vet_rr
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To: Paul C. Jesup
Of course those insults were interspersed with Creationist bashing. In the evo's defense, they haven't *just* been bashing Georgians.
288 posted on 01/30/2004 10:53:42 AM PST by Michael_Michaelangelo
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Georgia students could graduate from high school without learning much about evolution

OMG, they might not learn anything about biology without a basis in Evolution philosophy! (so what's new...)

(never mind that since evolution is at best a nonobservable phenomenon, it has no bearing on current biological studies).

289 posted on 01/30/2004 11:01:11 AM PST by Terriergal ("arise...kill...eat." Acts 10:13)
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To: joe_broadway
Evolution is an hypothesis, not a theory.

Actually it's more of a philosophy than either of those.

290 posted on 01/30/2004 11:01:47 AM PST by Terriergal ("arise...kill...eat." Acts 10:13)
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To: Dimensio
You not liking it does not make it less of a theory.

Same can be said about Creation Science.

291 posted on 01/30/2004 11:03:13 AM PST by Terriergal ("arise...kill...eat." Acts 10:13)
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To: RightWingNilla
Nice try yourself.
292 posted on 01/30/2004 11:04:58 AM PST by Phaedrus
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To: Terriergal
It's not a theory and it's certainly not a fact. At best it's a failed hypothesis.
293 posted on 01/30/2004 11:07:52 AM PST by Phaedrus
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To: Michael_Michaelangelo
Of course those insults were interspersed with Creationist bashing.

Finally, a fair post that says "creationist" and not "christian." Whether you meant to do that or not, it's still refreshing to see it for once. thanks.
294 posted on 01/30/2004 11:11:27 AM PST by whattajoke (Neutiquam erro.)
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To: balrog666
realpatriot: It all so highly unprobable as to be rediculous, but we're here so it must have happened (QED?)

Balrog666: Appears that statistics is just another subject you don't understand yet.

Spelling too.
295 posted on 01/30/2004 11:12:53 AM PST by whattajoke (Neutiquam erro.)
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To: jennyp
"In order to capture this nation, one has to totally remove moral and spiritual values and absolutes from the thinking of the child. The child has to think that there is no standard of right and wrong, that truth is relative, and that diversity is the only absolute to be gained." - American Humanist Association

Jennyp: This sounds to me like (yet) another creationist fantasy quotes.

Good catch. I admit, I didn't even read that quote initially b/c he quoted Hitler beforehand and at that point I stopped reading. I'll be VERY surprised if anything supporting this quote comes about.
296 posted on 01/30/2004 11:15:15 AM PST by whattajoke (Neutiquam erro.)
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To: Phaedrus
It's not a theory and it's certainly not a fact. At best it's a failed hypothesis.

Haha, a casual reading of this thread makes it appear your post which I've pasted here is in response to post 291 rather than what you were actually responding too.

Discounting the indisputable fact that that Theory of Evolution is called, "The theory of Evolution," because, well, it's a theory, if I say, "Gravitational theory is not a theory and it's certainly not a fact," does that make my statement true?

For those keeping score, this would be the 18th unsupported Phaedrus statement (in this thread alone) that, if she could support it, would turn science upside down and win garner her riches and fame beyond her wildest imagination.
297 posted on 01/30/2004 11:20:37 AM PST by whattajoke (Neutiquam erro.)
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To: Terriergal
Same can be said about Creation Science.

True. My dislike of Creation Science has no bearing on whether or not it is a theory. It fails as a theory if it invokes any supernatural elements, cannot be tested or cannot be falsified.
298 posted on 01/30/2004 11:24:21 AM PST by Dimensio (The only thing you feel when you take a human life is recoil. -- Frank "Earl" Jones)
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To: Terriergal
Same can be said about Creation Science.

Exactly how is evolution a philosophy?
299 posted on 01/30/2004 11:25:45 AM PST by Dimensio (The only thing you feel when you take a human life is recoil. -- Frank "Earl" Jones)
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To: Paul C. Jesup
Your exact words:
I remember a year ago on FR when we talked about a NON-southern state was attacking evolution and people here poured out their support for creationism. But GOD forbid Georgia does it. What hypocrites you are.

With this statement you are asserting that those who "poured out their support for creationism" are the ones bashing Georgia for considering creationism. This is implied with your charge of hypocracy -- if the Georgia creationism bashers here aren't the creation-supporters of the past, then there is no hypocracy. I looked through the discussion that you have referenced, but I do not see a single creation-supporter in that discussion who is now bashing Goergia for considering it in this discussion.
300 posted on 01/30/2004 11:29:57 AM PST by Dimensio (The only thing you feel when you take a human life is recoil. -- Frank "Earl" Jones)
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