Teaching Evolution In Faith Schools

[naomi24]

Under the new science curriculum evolution will be taught in primary schools.

How will faith schools that currently teach creationism deal with this?

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/07/08/michael-goves-new-school-curriculum_n_3560653.html

[naomi24]

Chakka, but creationism does teach that God made man - and all other life on this planet - just as they are now.

[modeller]

cont..........Noah's flood . This was all explained to me by an American creationist. He showed me their magazine which sets it out in fine detail.
He further 'explained' that natural gas and oil was deposited underground
in its present form and only some had been made during those 5000 years.
What was unbelievable, he was a geologist and had worked for an oil company. He did admit however , that not all his colleagues agreed with him.
That will be the evolution that some faith schools will trot out.

[Octavius]

Its theistic evolution modeller, nothing new.

[LazyGun]

This is from the DoE FAQs
Q."Are Free Schools permitted to teach creationism/intelligent design and obliged to teach evolution?

A."We would expect to see evolution and its foundation topics fully included in any science curriculum.
We do not expect creationism, intelligent design and similar ideas to be taught as valid scientific theories in any state funded school."

Which seems to be a slightly odd situation. It was my understanding that no school would be permitted to teach creationism or intelligent design within the science curriculum, but that they were free to discuss.teach such issues in Religious Studies or whatever.

I thought such a ruling was enforceable by the DoE, but their own FAQ would suggest an expectation of voluntary adherence to that rule, rather than any statutory obligation or the ability to enforce such a rule,which surprises me.

[modeller]

//Its theistic evolution modeller, nothing new. //
It is new as taught in the States . They tried to get round Darwinism by bringing in so called intelligent design coupled with science and the laws of probability. In some US colleges it is the only option .

[modeller]

It's even creeping into our universities.
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/intelligent-design-creeps-on-to-courses/203867.article

[naomi24]

Well, it's not really, is it Modeller - they're not actually proposing to teach creationism, but rather to debunk it, which is not a bad thing.

//....lecturers intend to present the controversial theories as fallacies irreconcilable with scientific evidence. //

[modeller]

//A Times Higher investigation has also discovered there are at least 14 academics in science departments who consider themselves creationists.//

I assume they will be giving lectures on Harry Potter's world as a part of the science course. His Diskworld would fit in perfectly with their flat earth brigade.

[Octavius]

Modeler, do you mean Terry Pratchett?

[modeller]

Yes ! I must be in a fantasy world.

[Octavius]

Well be assured, you are not alone.

[mikey4444]

That is the problem about faith schools. If they fall outside of local authority control, they teach what they like. They also don't have to employ properly qualified teachers !

So they can fill their young impressionable children with drivel instead of facts, and they don't even have to have real teachers !

You couldn't make it up if you tried !

[naomi24]

Home schooling is not obliged to follow the national curriculum either, and doesn't require qualified teachers - but I'm talking about the schools that fall within local authority control.

[chrisgel]

"What is almost certainly happening is that the secular atheists, who have hijacked science for their own ends, are being found out."
Pathetic!

[naomi24]

Chris, I missed that. Who said it?

[mibn2cweus]

^ Last paragraph here Naomi ~ http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/news/intelligent-design-creeps-on-to-courses/203867.article

[LazyGun]

Well,it was said by a creationist, so no real surprises there :)

Anyone know of or have a list which documents all those publically funded schools ( Free, Academy, Comprehensive etc) that teach creationism or intelligent design as part of the science curriculum? I have no idea how widespread the issue is.

I would also be interested in the following data, which I have been unable to clarify;
1. The number of schools in the UK that fall outside of Local Authority control and/or do not teach the National Curriculum.

And do all schools, regardless of whether Free or Not, Local Authority Controlled or not, state funded or not, have to pass regular OFSTED inspections?

[mikey4444]

naomi...a subject that we can both agree on it would seem !

I wasn't aware that faith schools that fall within Local Authority control are
teaching creationism as fact, but if that is indeed the case, then the Local Authorities concerned should be acting, and acting pretty quick.

Is there any teachers here on AB that can give us any up-to-date info on this please ?

Its been 45 years since I was in school and that was a Catholic one but I don't remember being told that the creationist story was truth. As it is so long ago I can't be sure but I am fairly certain that our science lessons were entirely scientific and didn't include any creation nonsense.

In fact, one the subjects that I was rather good at and enjoyed was Geology, which would have been near impossible to teach using drivel. When you have just dug a Trilobite out of a quarry, on a school trip, its rather difficult for the nuns to say that its only a few thousands years old and was put there by Jesus, rather than it being up to 521 millions of years old !

But it would seem that creationism and other drivel is subtly creeping up on us here in Britain and we all should be aware of the dangers of children being brought to believe nonsense. Its quite frightening when you think about it.

[Octavius]

LG, possibly a part answer to one of your questions (althohg a year old I guesss its still relevant), but I don't think it is that widespread.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/18/creationist-free-schools-hysteria