What is the big deal is all about for those that oppose ID?
There are lot of things taught in school that are vague or two sided; nobody seems to get into a tizzy if we call our holiday Presidents day instead of Lincoln or Washington’s Birthday. Where is the outrage and endless debate regarding how the first Americans came to America or about Columbus being a villain or a hero? Nobody can explain to students how the pyramids were built. There are competing theories in textbooks and classroom discussion about many subjects. One would think that a science subject would be the least immune from intolerance of competing ideas?
Isn't that what school is about; to get kids to think for themselves, so how could this be accomplished if there is no debate on competing ideas?
You raise a really interesting question ... just what is the purpose of a 'government school'? I honestly believe it is NOT to get kids to think for themselves or think at all.
In fact, public schools seem to be especially perfect places to minimize the ability of kids to grow their creative tendencies.
I remember all too well the consequences associated w/ asking questions.
"There are lot of things taught in school that are vague or two sided; nobody seems to get into a tizzy if we call our holiday Presidents day instead of Lincoln or Washington’s Birthday."
I don't have a problem with ID being taught in school; it could be taught in a philosophy or religious studies class - it could also be taught in a science course, but only as an example of a non-scientific theory. Why is it non-scientific? First because it is not testable: it is impossible to design a test which potentially falsifies the existence of an intelligent creator. Why is this the case? It has to do with the nature of random sequences and the fact that it is mathematically impossible to differentiate a random sequence from a non-random but highly complex sequence. The second show-stopper is that there is no scientific definition of "intelligence." How can we possibly study intelligent design when we don't even know how to define intelligence. It does not belong in a science class. If there are weaknesses with the way that evolution is taught in school then those need to be corrected. We don't solve the problem by adding more nonsense to the science education of our children.