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Teach Science, Not "Intelligent Design"
Target: Your State GovernorSponsored by: Defcon - Campaign to Defend the Constitution
Studies show that American children are falling behind children in other nations in their knowledge and understanding of science. But instead of improving the quality of science education, movements across the country are trying to substitute ideology for fact in our classrooms.
The freedom of religion and the quality of public education are being put to the test in schoolrooms across the country. Recently, the Kansas State School Board revised its statewide science standards to undermine the teaching of evolution. Their decision opens the door for curriculums based on "intelligent design" and creationism.
But the problem with this policy is that science is based on facts and testable predictions; religion is based on faith. And unfortunately, "intelligent design" is no more than religious creationism dressed up with a new name. A quality science education teaches children to weigh evidence, think critically, and apply the scientific method to test theories. A study of "Intelligent design" does none of these things.
For the sake of our children and the competitiveness of our country, urge your state governor to defend the integrity of science education in our schools!
The freedom of religion and the quality of public education are being put to the test in schoolrooms across the country. Recently, the Kansas State School Board revised its statewide science standards to undermine the teaching of evolution. Their decision opens the door for curriculums based on "intelligent design" and creationism.
But the problem with this policy is that science is based on facts and testable predictions; religion is based on faith. And unfortunately, "intelligent design" is no more than religious creationism dressed up with a new name. A quality science education teaches children to weigh evidence, think critically, and apply the scientific method to test theories. A study of "Intelligent design" does none of these things.
For the sake of our children and the competitiveness of our country, urge your state governor to defend the integrity of science education in our schools!
Sign Petition! see who signed this
We signed the “Teach Science, Not "Intelligent Design"” petition!
# 100:
10:39 am PDT, Oct 7,
Perry Adler, Massachusetts
# 99:
10:39 am PDT, Oct 7,
Jay Blotcher, New York
# 98:
10:39 am PDT, Oct 7,
Cornelia Watson, Alabama
# 97:
10:39 am PDT, Oct 7,
Ralph Stalter Jr, New York
# 96:
10:39 am PDT, Oct 7,
Bill Blevins, California
One more instance of the christian taliban trying to force their religious views on everyone. Not content to just legislate their religion as law, now they want to indoctrinate children as well...
One more instance of the christian taliban trying to force their religious views on everyone. Not content to just legislate their religion as law, now they want to indoctrinate children as well...
# 95:
10:39 am PDT, Oct 7,
John Z Miller III, California
# 94:
10:37 am PDT, Oct 7,
Dia Redman, Minnesota
# 93:
10:35 am PDT, Oct 7,
Dia Redman, Minnesota
# 92:
9:30 am PDT, Oct 7,
Jennifer Collins, Alabama
I believe that schools should only teach what it fact and let parents be responsible for teaching religion to their families.Even very religious people have to realize that facts can be proven where creationism can not.
I believe that schools should only teach what it fact and let parents be responsible for teaching religion to their families.Even very religious people have to realize that facts can be proven where creationism can not.
# 91:
9:14 am PDT, Oct 7,
Kerriann Hayden, Pennsylvania
# 90:
9:10 am PDT, Oct 7,
Kristi Knotts, California
I believe that schools should teach science and let familes teach religion.
I believe that schools should teach science and let familes teach religion.
# 89:
8:40 am PDT, Oct 7,
Ellen Larkin, Georgia
# 88:
8:38 am PDT, Oct 7,
Kirsten Pomerantz, Idaho
# 87:
8:35 am PDT, Oct 7,
Sarah Campbell, Florida
# 86:
8:22 am PDT, Oct 7,
Donica Calhoun, Georgia
# 85:
7:50 am PDT, Oct 7,
Vidya Sims, California
# 84:
7:40 am PDT, Oct 7,
April Shanks, Kentucky
Education in America has failed. We may be the most powerful country, but the ignorance of the American people is terrifying.
Education in America has failed. We may be the most powerful country, but the ignorance of the American people is terrifying.
# 83:
7:38 am PDT, Oct 7,
Lorena Riffo, Florida
# 82:
6:50 am PDT, Oct 7,
Jamie South, Alabama
Let kids make up their own minds about spiritual issues. Stick to science in a science classroom. If parents want their kids to have a Christian education, it's their prerogative to send them to a private Christian school. Public schools are no place for religious issues. Remember that crazy document called the First Amendment? Perhaps you've forgotten it. It's recommended reading.
Let kids make up their own minds about spiritual issues. Stick to science in a science classroom. If parents want their kids to have a Christian education, it's their prerogative to send them to a private Christian school. Public schools are no place for religious issues. Remember that crazy document called the First Amendment? Perhaps you've forgotten it. It's recommended reading.
# 81:
6:45 am PDT, Oct 7,
Name not displayed, Pennsylvania
# 80:
5:41 am PDT, Oct 7,
Joel Harvey, Ohio
I always questioned the logic behind an intelligent designer, It does not seem to matter to these people that 99.99% of all species are extinct. Some designer. Another thing that has me puzzled is that if god (no one has proposed another designer, other than space alians) created all of life and man in his image, than I have to ask, are Chimps 96% in the image of god? There is no contervesrsy in the science world as to the validity of evolution by natural slection. For every "Scientist" that supports Intelligent Design, there are 10,000 who support evolution. Perhapes we should let the scientist decide what is a valid theory, not politicans. Science can not be changed by policical will, the second it does it is no longer science but dogma. The rest of the world is laughing, and the jokes on us. I will not vote for anyone who thinks we need to "teach the conterversy", I promise you that.
I always questioned the logic behind an intelligent designer, It does not seem to matter to these people that 99.99% of all species are extinct. Some designer. Another thing that has me puzzled is that if god (no one has proposed another designer, other than space alians) created all of life and man in his image, than I have to ask, are Chimps 96% in the image of god? There is no contervesrsy in the science world as to the validity of evolution by natural slection. For every "Scientist" that supports Intelligent Design, there are 10,000 who support evolution. Perhapes we should let the scientist decide what is a valid theory, not politicans. Science can not be changed by policical will, the second it does it is no longer science but dogma. The rest of the world is laughing, and the jokes on us. I will not vote for anyone who thinks we need to "teach the conterversy", I promise you that.
# 79:
5:34 am PDT, Oct 7,
Ben Collins, Virginia
# 78:
4:57 am PDT, Oct 7,
Rowan Taylor, Virginia
# 77:
4:30 am PDT, Oct 7,
Mags Dalton, Ireland
# 76:
1:20 am PDT, Oct 7,
Danielle Walden, Washington
# 75:
10:36 pm PDT, Oct 6,
Jay Cross, California
# 74:
10:12 pm PDT, Oct 6,
Name not displayed, California
# 73:
8:43 pm PDT, Oct 6,
Bekki Leddon, Florida
# 72:
8:24 pm PDT, Oct 6,
Name not displayed, Wisconsin
# 71:
6:28 pm PDT, Oct 6,
Nicholas Parres y Parres, Spain
# 70:
5:38 pm PDT, Oct 6,
Kathryn Hamilton, California
# 69:
5:32 pm PDT, Oct 6,
Lauri Peacock, New Mexico
# 68:
5:28 pm PDT, Oct 6,
John Kotila, North Carolina
# 67:
4:40 pm PDT, Oct 6,
Andrea Posehn, Canada
# 66:
4:09 pm PDT, Oct 6,
Shaun Daniel, Idaho
Many of the founding fathers were adament about a separation of church and state - Jefferson's "wall of separation." Their reasoning was the oppressive impact of religion mixed with politics. Moreover, this separation preserves the free practice of religion. The teaching of intelligent design in schools eliminates this wall of separation and shows favoritism to one religion over others. Science, on the other hand, is unrelated to religion. And its teaching of evolution is acknowledged as a theory, but is pertinent because it is testable and potentially disprovable. That is the scientific method. Science is something apart from religious faith and should remain so. The teaching of intelligent design erodes this distinction and moreover impedes the ability of all students to both engage in scientific enquiry and to develop their own faiths outside of the realm of science. As such, the teaching of intelligent design must not be allowed to continue.
Many of the founding fathers were adament about a separation of church and state - Jefferson's "wall of separation." Their reasoning was the oppressive impact of religion mixed with politics. Moreover, this separation preserves the free practice of religion. The teaching of intelligent design in schools eliminates this wall of separation and shows favoritism to one religion over others. Science, on the other hand, is unrelated to religion. And its teaching of evolution is acknowledged as a theory, but is pertinent because it is testable and potentially disprovable. That is the scientific method. Science is something apart from religious faith and should remain so. The teaching of intelligent design erodes this distinction and moreover impedes the ability of all students to both engage in scientific enquiry and to develop their own faiths outside of the realm of science. As such, the teaching of intelligent design must not be allowed to continue.
# 65:
3:47 pm PDT, Oct 6,
John Rivers, United Kingdom
# 64:
2:10 pm PDT, Oct 6,
Toni Knox-Oliver, Canada
# 63:
1:40 pm PDT, Oct 6,
Andrea Cole, South Dakota
Evolution is a scientific fact, backed by real evidence. Creation is a myth, that has nothing to back it up. If they are going to start teaching religious ideas in school, then the educational values of schools will decrease. Schools are for teaching, church is for worship.
Evolution is a scientific fact, backed by real evidence. Creation is a myth, that has nothing to back it up. If they are going to start teaching religious ideas in school, then the educational values of schools will decrease. Schools are for teaching, church is for worship.
# 62:
1:32 pm PDT, Oct 6,
Erin Rehil, Georgia
All of a sudden it seems that Christian fundamentalists are trying to take over every branch of the US government and erode the rights of women, gays, liberals, and all other citizens who happen to have different values and beliefs. I knew it was only a matter of time before the evolution v. creationism controversy would crop up again in schools. The fact of the matter is that religion does not belong in our schools, or in our government, and it says so right in our Constitution. It's time that people realized that religion is a very personal thing, and that even though Christianity is the dominant faith in this nation, we are not a Christian Nation. Americans who are Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, Wiccan, agnostic, atheist or anything else should not be forced to swallow reactionary Christian doctrine everywhere they go. Evolution is a theory, yes, but it is supported by an OVERWHELMING amount of scientific evidence, including the information found in our own DNA. Science class is a place for numbers, and physical evidence, and controlled experiments, and the study of natural objects and artifacts. The theory of intelligent design may complement the theory of evolution (sure, a higher being might have written our DNA and designed us to experience random mutations that bring about evolution), but the fact remains that creationism is SUBJECTIVE and that evolution is supported by PHYSICAL EVIDENCE. I don't have a problem with students learning all points of view, but intelligent design should never, ever, ever be taught in science class as a substitute for evolution. Even in a private Catholic school, I feel that students should have the opportunity to learn both science AND doctrine, and decide for themselves whether the two ideas can coexist as part of a larger truth.
All of a sudden it seems that Christian fundamentalists are trying to take over every branch of the US government and erode the rights of women, gays, liberals, and all other citizens who happen to have different values and beliefs. I knew it was only a matter of time before the evolution v. creationism controversy would crop up again in schools. The fact of the matter is that religion does not belong in our schools, or in our government, and it says so right in our Constitution. It's time that people realized that religion is a very personal thing, and that even though Christianity is the dominant faith in this nation, we are not a Christian Nation. Americans who are Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, Wiccan, agnostic, atheist or anything else should not be forced to swallow reactionary Christian doctrine everywhere they go. Evolution is a theory, yes, but it is supported by an OVERWHELMING amount of scientific evidence, including the information found in our own DNA. Science class is a place for numbers, and physical evidence, and controlled experiments, and the study of natural objects and artifacts. The theory of intelligent design may complement the theory of evolution (sure, a higher being might have written our DNA and designed us to experience random mutations that bring about evolution), but the fact remains that creationism is SUBJECTIVE and that evolution is supported by PHYSICAL EVIDENCE. I don't have a problem with students learning all points of view, but intelligent design should never, ever, ever be taught in science class as a substitute for evolution. Even in a private Catholic school, I feel that students should have the opportunity to learn both science AND doctrine, and decide for themselves whether the two ideas can coexist as part of a larger truth.
# 61:
12:28 pm PDT, Oct 6,
Barbie Villalta, California
# 60:
12:11 pm PDT, Oct 6,
Cynthia Cole, South Dakota
# 59:
11:27 am PDT, Oct 6,
Name not displayed, California
# 58:
11:15 am PDT, Oct 6,
AnneMarie Olsen, Canada
# 57:
11:13 am PDT, Oct 6,
Richard Linsenberg, Pennsylvania
# 56:
11:09 am PDT, Oct 6,
Name not displayed, Oregon
# 55:
10:47 am PDT, Oct 6,
Devaraj Aran, New Mexico
# 54:
10:45 am PDT, Oct 6,
Name not displayed, California
# 53:
10:45 am PDT, Oct 6,
Benjamin Pierce, Tennessee
Those who wish to discount knowledge in favor of traditions are certainly entitled to do so, but are not entitled to shove these beliefs on our children. Religion should be taught in the church and in the home, not in the science class.
Those who wish to discount knowledge in favor of traditions are certainly entitled to do so, but are not entitled to shove these beliefs on our children. Religion should be taught in the church and in the home, not in the science class.
# 52:
10:00 am PDT, Oct 6,
Barbara Tomlinson, Washington
Americans will be the laughingstock of the rest of the world, and an American education no longer respected, if such laws are allowed to stand. Our children will be severely handicappped in trying to cope with the realities of the 21st Century, where knowledge of Science is ESSENTIAL!
Americans will be the laughingstock of the rest of the world, and an American education no longer respected, if such laws are allowed to stand. Our children will be severely handicappped in trying to cope with the realities of the 21st Century, where knowledge of Science is ESSENTIAL!
# 51:
9:54 am PDT, Oct 6,
Shannon Sloan, Tennessee