[HairOfTheDog]

I'm suggesting it's rude and confusing to teach a subject that the parents of nhearly half the class don't believe in, without acknowledging those beliefs.

I see you on these threads all the time, so I know you find this subject fascinating to debate. I bet you learn a lot about both the subject, and your fellow citizens from such discussion and debate. Let the kids do the same.

It really does not need to be not all that complicated.

[Coyoteman]

I'm suggesting it's rude and confusing to teach a subject that the parents of nhearly half the class don't believe in, without acknowledging those beliefs.

I see you on these threads all the time, so I know you find this subject fascinating to debate. I bet you learn a lot about both the subject, and your fellow citizens from such discussion and debate. Let the kids do the same.

It really does not need to be not all that complicated.

Not, it is not complicated. Science operates under a particular set of rules, the scientific method. These (in short) define what science studies and how it studies it. So how would you like science to "acknowledge those beliefs?" As superstition? Myth? As being unsupported by science? Do you want a full evaluation, as occurs in science, of, say, the stories of a global flood or the tower of Babel? I would guess that you would not be happy with the result.

To be true to its methods, science would have to say that there is no scientific evidence for creationism and ID. Is that what you want? You want science to detail various religious beliefs and then say that there is no scientific evidence for those beliefs?

Perhaps it is better to leave well enough alone.

[freedumb2003]

I'm suggesting it's rude and confusing to teach a subject that the parents of nhearly half the class don't believe in, without acknowledging those beliefs.

Norse Creation Story

In the beginning there was the void. And the void was called Ginnungagap. What does Ginnungagap mean? Yawning gap, beginning gap, gap with magical potential, mighty gap; these are a few of the educated guesses. Along with the void existed Niflheim the land of fog and ice in the north and Muspelheim the land of fire in the south. There seems to be a bit of confusion as to whether or not these existed after Ginnungagap or along side of it from the beginning.

In Niflheim was a spring called Hvergelmir from which the Elivagar (eleven rivers - Svol, Gunnthra, Fiorm, Fimbulthul, Slidr, Hrid, Sylg, Ylg, Vid, Leiptr, and Gioll) flowed. The Elivargar froze layer upon layer until it filled in the northerly portion of the gap. Concurrently the southern portion was being filled by sparks and molten material from Muspelheim.

The mix of fire and ice caused part of the Elivagar to melt forming the figures Ymir the primeval giant and the cow Audhumla. The cow's milk was Ymir's food. While Ymir slept his under arm sweat begat two frost giants, one male one female, while his two legs begat another male.

While Ymir was busy procreating Audhumla was busy eating. Her nourishment came from licking the salty ice. Her incessant licking formed the god Buri. He had a son named Bor who was the father of Odin, Vili, and Ve.

For some reason the sons of Bor decided to kill poor Ymir. His blood caused a flood which killed all of the frost giants except for two, Bergelmir and his wife, who escaped the deluge in their boat.

Odin, Vili, and Ve put Ymir's corpse into the middle of ginnungagap and created the earth and sky from it. They also created the stars, sun, and moon from sparks coming out of Muspelheim.

Finally, the brothers happened upon two logs lying on the beach and created the first two humans Ask [Ash] and Embla [vine?] from them.

[RadioAstronomer]

I see you on these threads all the time, so I know you find this subject fascinating to debate. I bet you learn a lot about both the subject, and your fellow citizens from such discussion and debate. Let the kids do the same.

Would you complain if the school system decided to teach alchemy as an alternative to chemistry or astrology vs. astronomy in science class?

[Lunatic Fringe]

I'm suggesting it's rude and confusing to teach a subject that the parents of nhearly half the class don't believe in, without acknowledging those beliefs.

And I suggest that enabling mythological beliefs and ignorance of science in the schools is wrong. If half of parents refused to believe in gravity, would we simply stop teaching it so we don't offend???