NotArrogant.com - There's Nothing to Teach!

There's Nothing to Teach!

Written by John Rozewicki

Thursday, 27 July 2006

Sex and Evolution in Education

There are currently 2 very popular debates being had in many school systems around the country. The first is about whether or not intelligent design should be taught in science class. I put an emphasis on it because it's a very technical sounding euphemism for, "somebody may have created everything." The second debate is slightly different. It is about whether or not we should teach students in health class anything more than, "don't have sex."

Undeveloped Ideas

The interesting thing about both of these debates is that deeply religious people are championing situations where there is nothing to teach. Intelligent design can be explained at length in 5 words. I said it before, "somebody may have created everything." At least in the instance of intelligent design they're saying that it should be stated along side competing information; the theory of evolution. But in the case of abstinence-only education it's the belief that students should specifically not be given information.

Simplicity and Probability

Really what these religious people are in favor of is teaching nothing. Well, nothing but religion thinly shrouded in technical speak. Intelligent design is not more complicated than, "somebody may have created everything." Abstinence-only education is not more complicated than, "don't have sex." Evolution is, on the surface, pretty simple also. It's natural selection over time resulting in adaptations favorable to the surrounding environment. I think that's as concise as I can make it. However, I do find it more probable that life on earth was created in more than 7 days. Rome wasn't built in a day. How could life on earth be built in six?

A Failure to Educate

Abstinence-only education is a more egregious failure to educate young people. We send our young to schools to be educated. Much of what they learn is not directly applicable. The people who favor abstinence-only education want to remove the one class that does impact the life of every student who walks through the doors in the morning. Choosing not to educate students on how to protect themselves is wrong and perpetuates the consequences of sexual activity that abstinence-only educators stand by as evidence. I care less about the morals of my child than I care that my child is not going to contract HIV, and then die. I want my children to be taught how to be responsible in making their own decisions, because that is all I can do. They are separate people.

Mislabeled Philosophy

I do think intelligent design should be taught. It should be taught in philosophy. Intelligent design is not scientific. It doesn't change over time in response to collected data. It was not derived through the scientific method. It cannot be tested. It has no place in a science book or class.

Combatting Ignorance

Less education is never the answer to any problem. Ignorance perpetuates many of the problems we have in society; such as intolerance. I do not understand how anyone can stand up and say that not informing is better than informing. I do not understand how anyone could so extensively misunderstand the scientific method to say that intelligent design is science. [tags]Intelligent Design, Evolution, Abstinence-Only Education, Education, Philosophy, Science, Politics[/tags]

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