Colin Wilkinson defended Emmanuel College as a successful school; it
certainly has been but that is no guarantee that it will remain so and that
fundamentalism might not wreck it.
Colinis right to note that Middlesbrough has many educational problems but
wrong to suggest that to "keep the man with the money happy" it is correct
to teach creationism as part of science. Moreover, he also believes that
"creationism is useful in teaching kids about critical thinking and use of
evidence" but the Biblical view of creation advocated by the Middlesbrough
teachers has no scientific basis. It cannot be compared with evolution in
the same was as rival theories about the cosmos or particle physics. And it
is evident that the school has no intention of teaching critical thinking:
for example, in September the head of science Steven Layfield stated that
"wherever possible, [teachers] must give the alternative, always better,
biblical same explanation [to scientific theories]."
Religion should certainly be discussed as part of science in society and
ethics, but creationism should not be promoted as an alternative scientific
theory to evolution.
I do take Colin's point that the priority is to get kids off the streets and
to expose them to some education. But that should be no excuse for science
lessons moving towards indoctrination-just because the paymaster takes
particular view about God, science or any other part of the curriculum.
The situation in Middlesbrough, as reported, does neither science nor God a
service.
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