“And as for teaching “all other possible, contrary views” in grade school and high school — that idea is silly. Think it through and you’ll see why”
Kids can’t handle it?? I taught HS math and coached in my younger years and have worked with young people off and on all my life and IMHO they would like to know. I have heard stories of when a student asks a teachers in some schools about creationism, the teacher cuts them off and tries to make a fool of them. That is not teaching.
elpadre wrote: Kids can’t handle it??
No, that's not why. I think kids can handle it, but they won't handle it the way you think. But I'll save that for later.
There are two arguments to be made here. First, you state that scientific education should include possible contrary views. By most measures, most flavors of ID/Creationism are impossible and therefore not suitable for classroom teaching. Second, even those forms of ID/C that are remotely possible (e.g. Last Thursdayism) are so poorly supported and so unproductive as to be worthless in science pedagogy.
I taught HS math and coached in my younger years and have worked with young people off and on all my life and IMHO they would like to know.
When I was young, I wanted my teachers to competently instruct me in their subjects. All too often I found myself arguing with them over their literary or social theories. If science teachers begin teaching ID/C en masse, it won't be long before students like me have start shredding them in front of the entire class; cell phone videos will be available on YouTube.
I have heard stories of when a student asks a teachers in some schools about creationism, the teacher cuts them off and tries to make a fool of them. That is not teaching.
No, the teacher should explain succinctly what's wrong with creationism and let the student's peers make a fool of him if he insists on interrupting the class.