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Dear All List members considering whether to seek the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge may be interested in, and concerned about, the CLOtC's decision to award their Quality Badge to the Noah's Ark Farm Park at Wraxall, near Bristol. The Noah's Ark Farm is an explicitly and agressively Creationist folly, which seeks to mislead children by teaching them the literal truth of the biblical account of creation and explicitly denies that evolution can explain the diversity of life on Earth. Quite apart from any wider concerns about the validity of these opinions, the teaching of Creationism is contrary to the requirements of the National Curriculum. A number of people involved in science communication and informal science education including my colleague Ian Simmons from the Centre for Life in Newcastle are very concerned about the fact that CLOtC has accredited Noah's Ark in the first place, and (as the correspondence below shows) doesn't seem to understand that it might have made a mistake in the second. If you share our concerns, can I ask you to join with us in writing to the CLOtC to express your concern. The CLOtC can be contacted via [log in to unmask] Thanks Richard. Richard Ellam L M Interactive Science Shows and Hands-On Stuff [log in to unmask] Begin forwarded message: > From: Ian Simmons <[log in to unmask]> > Date: 27 July 2010 11:49:45 BDT > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: [PSCI-COM] Council for Learning Outside the Classroom > Reply-To: "psci-com: on public engagement with > science" <[log in to unmask]> > > Centre for Life is accredited by the Council for Learning Outside > the Classroom with their Learning Outside the Classroom Quality > Badge, but I was worried to find out this week that they’d also > given this status to the Noah’s Ark Zoo – a creationist outfit near > Bristol, so I wrote to them expressing my concerns that we are put > on a par with such a dubious body, and got this reply > > “Dear Mr Simmon, s > > Many thanks for your email concerning the recent award of the > Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge to Noah's Ark Zoo Farm. > > The criteria for awarding the LOtC Quality Badge are that the > organisation must offer good quality learning outside the classroom > and manage risk effectively. The Council for Learning Outside the > Classroom is very committed to equality and we will award the > Quality Badge to an organisation that can demonstrate that it meets > these criteria; past awards have included Interfaith Kirklees and > Canterbury Cathedral without any implied endorsement of their > religious base. > > CLOtC believes that an important aim of learning outside the > classroom is allowing children and young people access to education > that challenges assumptions and allows them to experience a range > of viewpoints; giving them the tools needed to be proactive in > their own learning. > > CLOtC is an independent charity and I would like to stress that the > operation of the LOtC Quality Badge scheme receives no government > funding. > > Kind Regards > Amy” > > Which concerns me even more, such that I am considering asking to > be delisted, as I think giving them a stamp of providing ‘good > quality education’ devalues us by association, if any of your > organizations are LOtC registered and share my concern I would urge > you to make it known to them – their website is http:// > www.lotc.org.uk/The-LOTC-quality-badge/The-LOTC-quality-badge > > IAN > > > Ian Simmons > > Science Communication Director > Centre for Life > Management Suite > Times Square > Newcastle upon Tyne > NE1 4EP > > Tel: +44191 2438250 > Fax: +44191 2438201 > Email: [log in to unmask] > > Life - A Centre for world-class science > > This year we celebrate our 10th birthday - Find out more at > www.life.org.uk > > Doctor Who Exhibition at Life until Sunday 31 October 2010 - Book > tickets now at www.life.org.uk/whats-on > > 10th Anniversary Debate, Science – Where in the Next Ten Years – > www.life.org.uk/whats-on > > Our mission is to inspire curiosity in science through imaginative > exhibitions and events, raise standards in science education and > support world-class scientific research. > > > > > Disclaimer - July 27, 2010 > > This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and > intended solely for 'psci-com: on public engagement with science'. > If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, > distribute, copy or alter this email. 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