It shows that the academics of the non-science arts are much to blame for the original start of the controversy and the continued bitter actions.
I think there are Christians that believe the book of Genesis as a literal text in matters of planetary and chronological history that go much beyond my understanding. But overall, most conservative Christians have supported some of the State Board's actions due to the actions of the social science academic community over the the years in secondary and other levels of education. Most of us understand that Science teachers with science degrees aren't schooled in any versions of theory that are outside the scientific mainstream and we don't see science classes being used by the science teacher's as anti-religous propaganda forums. We do, however, note that for three decades that sort of action is much more prevelant in the other wings of education as a means of tearing down Judeaic/Chirstian religous belief and promoting a Dewey style Secular Humanist religion in its place.
Seeing that, we feel the pedulumn had swung too far and see the State Board as applying a corrective in the only manner possible: self-government.
This exchange of e-mails shows how even University departments of Religion are used by the social science wing of academia to accomplish those ends.
The social science teacher is able to marginalize traditional religion by treating it as being supplanted by scientific knowledge and classifying all religion as mythology. Its a game of saying, "Didn't you learn about evolution in science class?" and "Didn't you learn about the history of mythology in History and the age of the planet in Geology?"
Its not the science teachers that push this conflict. It is those teachers of the liberal arts that wish to marginalize religion, western tradition and our heritage in general to promote a quasi-religious secular humanism and the leftist view of the world in general.
Baloney. They just announced this class, yet the Discovery Institute was collecting donation money from rich creationist fools for years now. They (re)started this mess, after the controversy basically went away 60 years ago. I was taught in a Southern Baptist Church that evolution and Genesis weren't contradictory 40 years ago. That same church has changed it's mind and has re-started the old fight. They will lose, again.
I missed the "non" part of the "non-science" arts and it set me off before I read the rest of your post.
oops.
The social science teacher is able to marginalize traditional religion by treating it as being supplanted by scientific knowledge and classifying all religion as mythology. Its a game of saying, "Didn't you learn about evolution in science class?" and "Didn't you learn about the history of mythology in History and the age of the planet in Geology?"
Then by all means take the fight to the social sciences. I have no beef with that. Picking a fight with science in general and a cornerstone of the science of biology is not they way to go if you're objectives truly are as you state.
Its not the science teachers that push this conflict. It is those teachers of the liberal arts that wish to marginalize religion, western tradition and our heritage in general to promote a quasi-religious secular humanism and the leftist view of the world in general.
Then take the fight to the liberal arts teachers. You have my full support there. If this is what you really object to, then leave science in general and biology in particular out of it. You will only hurt your cause by trying to take the fight there.