This lead me to read Objections to evolution arise from incorrect interpretation of the facts Posted by Lawrence Kapture. I agree with a lot of his post, but I am infuriated by his assumption that all homeschoolers are anti-evolution idiots. Many homeschoolers BELIVE IN EVOLUTION and teach the theory of evolution to our children.
Homeschooling is essentially a protest movement. Regardless of motivation, homeschoolers believe public schools are unable to prepare their children to live in the world.There is nothing inherently wrong with protesting. Many important reforms (Civil Rights to name one) have been enacted due to people protesting behavior they believed to be wrong. I proudly admit that my family left the Jackson County Public Schools in PROTEST of the mandatory public school uniform policy and it's socialist overtones. But we choose homeschooling because of the many opportunities and benefits it offered to my family.
Unfortunately, what homeschooling can do is isolate children from the market of ideas, especially when it comes to biological science. There is a large amount of fringe literature published by religious groups that support the claims of creationists while providing no real information about the vast field of evolutionary biology.Homeschooling does not isolate children from "ideas" anymore then the public schools do. In fact many homeschooling parents understand the difference in a scientific theory like evolution and Aunt Betty's theory of who shot JR. We embrace the field of evolutionary biology and make sure our children are well educated in science.
Homeschooling allows families to isolate their children from good information by providing them only with information that is comfortable with their own biases.Homeschoolers have a wealth of information at their fingertips. Homeschooled children are just as capable of navigating the Internet as public school students are. Frankly I am amazed at the ignorant people who assume homeschoolers are isolated from the world.
Like homeschooling is a protest against public schools, creationism is a protest against anything that opposes a literal interpretation of the Bible. When it comes to the origins of life, creationism is not a scientifically educated movement.Homeschooling is nothing like creationism. Creationism is a religious belief. It has nothing to do with science and does not belong in a science classroom. Homeschooling is an educational choice, just like sending your child to public school or private school is an educational choice.
I'm nodding along with you, until almost the very end when you reminded me of a hilarious line: "A prayer in a public school! God has no place within these walls, just like facts have no place within organized religion." -Superintendant Chalmers, The SimpsonsCreationism is not a science, it's true, because creationism deals with one view abiogenesis and is more philosophical. And so while creationism may not belong in a purely scientific classroom, homeschooling gives us the opportunity to see how the various studies refine, influence, and inform each other. And, for now, I see areas where creationism has opened up some pretty important scientific, philosophical and historical interpretation questions which would be unwise for the scientific community to ignore.
ReplyDeleteYou're right: The majority of "creationism is a protest against anything that opposes a literal interpretation of the Bible" ...but that is potentially changing--especially as Biblical scholars are looking again at their interpretations of Scripture.
~Luke
I do think teaching mythology and theology to students is important. I love studying theology. I am reading God's Problem by Bart Ehrman at the moment and it brings up several philosophical questions.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19096131
I would just never teach creationism as SCIENCE. It works well for a debate class though.
Ironically homeschoolers tend to be the ones labeled anti-science, but public schools seem to be turning out far more creationist.
You know I have always found it amusing that people claim that "so and so is keeping them from praying". Nobody can keep you from saying a silent prayer.
Thanks for this post. It was very pleasant to read something so intelligent today!
ReplyDeleteGood post, Alasandra. I admit I'm amused by an analogy between homeschooling and creationism. I would think homeschooling is more like evolution. By adapting to our children's learning styles and finding creative new ways to teach them, we are making them better equipped to succeed.
ReplyDeleteNice thoughts Alasandra. I thought it was interesting that, rather than stick to the issue, the author chose to discredit the young man based on his status as a homeschooler.
ReplyDeleteYou don't have that much space in a letter to the editor. Your argument fares better if you stick to what is immediately relevant.
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