Evolution Prevails in Kansas
Remember what happened in August of 1999 in the state of Kansas? The state
school board voted six to four to allow individual school districts to decide
what they will teach about evolution. They could even decide not to mention
evolution at all, and presumably teach Christian creationism in place of it.
With all due respect, I wasn't entirely surprised that this happened in Kansas.
I'm only saddened by the ignorance of the people who insist on teaching their
religion to everyone.
Here's a promising update: On Aug 2, 2000, two creationist state school board members
bent on doing away with teaching evolution were voted out. Mary Douglass Brown
and Linda Holloway were ousted, and in my opinion, with good reason. Not because
they're Christian, and not because they're creationists, but because they insist
on teaching their proven "science" in favour of an "unproven theory pressed by
liberals." The evolution-creation debate is not my department, but I want to
emphasize that Christian creationism is not a science. It is a myth with no
evidence to back it up as truth. It is, in fact, an insult to religion and
mythology to call it a science. Does it belong anywhere else besides churches,
homes, and private schools? Please do not forget about the separation of church and
state.
Most religions have creation myths. It doesn't seem very fair to me that the
Christian myth be singled out as the only explanation of the origins of man.
Christians may be the majority in the Midwest, but teaching Christian creationism
blatantly discriminates against the minority of children who are members of
another religion or have no religion at all. Many Christians are perpetually
playing the missionary part, and these school board members are no different as
they use their power to convert those of a different faith or the faithless, and
prevent Christian children from learning another theory, if not the truth.
Mary Brown, a former English teacher and now a former school board member, might
be a very nice person and a good English teacher. But it's clear that she had no
business on a school board, meddling with peoples' religious beliefs by trying
to eradicate evolution from the curriculum. Brown complained about her opponents:
"They've been vicious", she said. "I was fighting the Governor, the NEA, the most
powerful union in the world, when all I thought I was fighting was the...dumbing
down of our kids." I don't believe that for a second. Brown thinks she's fighting
the "dumbing down of our kids", but what dumbs kids down more than teaching them
one faith-based theory and expecting them to believe it, rather than teaching
them one theory based on scientific facts? Would it perhaps challenge childrens'
minds more to present them with several different creation myths and evolution?
No, not to Christian zealots, to whom it seems like they must have it their way
or no way at all. Brown stated that "There is a lot invested in evolution, and
we put a little crack in that." Based on what? Creationists like Brown prefer to
believe that they're fighting some sort of holy war, and anyone who believes
differently is a liberal out to get them. They are - for what reasons I don't
know - completely blind to all evidence of evolution. They don't realize that
their religion can be completely compatible with evolution, something that even
the pope admitted.
I don't want to stray from the point I'm trying to make. Don't misunderstand me;
People with all sorts of strange beliefs have every right in this free
country to serve on boards and hold offices. What people don't have the
right to do is impose their beliefs on others. The Christian creationists would
not welcome Native American creationism in their classrooms as an explanation for
the origins of man, and so they should not expect their version to be accepted.
But don't think that teaching evolution is part of trying to impose certain
beliefs on others. Evolution is not a belief and it's not a religion, it's part
of science, which is always changing.
There is an agenda behind the Christian creationists insisting that their myth
be taught in a science class. If they continue to feel like they have to meddle
in childrens' religious beliefs, they have absolutely no business being on a
public school board. It was right for them to be removed from the state school
board, and I suggest they find a private school board to serve on, where there
beliefs will not be disputed.
