[highball]

I haven't decided whether teaching the theory of evolution should be mandatory or whether parents should be able to opt out of it like some may do with sex education.

I'd like to ask those parents if they'd also opt out of other theories such as gravitation, relativity and the germ theory. Evolution is every bit as sound as those, after all.

[ml1954]

Dog Gone"I haven't decided whether teaching the theory of evolution should be mandatory or whether parents should be able to opt out of it like some may do with sex education.

highball: I'd like to ask those parents if they'd also opt out of other theories such as gravitation, relativity and the germ theory. Evolution is every bit as sound as those, after all.

You mean something like this?

'Evil'ution; Yes/No (default: NO)

Misc Science Stuff (Praise be the IDer): Required

Misc Science Stuff (atheistic): Optional

ID based science cources: Default 'yes' unless parents object

Aetheistic science cources: Optional - written parental approval required

Now how could anyone object to this? The student and their parents are free to choose.

[Dog Gone]

Those would be fair questions which I would assume they would instantly dismiss.

I think if you tell a kid that he can't learn about something, it only raises his inquisitiveness. Eventually, he'll learn for himself if he has half a brain.

But, if we allow home schooling where the parent chooses the curriculum (which I support), then I'm not sure the same thing shouldn't apply in public schools as to controversial topics.

I personally don't think evolution should be a controversial topic, but it obviously is. Allow the parents to deliberately keep their kids uninformed if it's that big of a deal to them. The smart kids will eventually become self-educated and it doesn't really matter what the others think either way.