Re: The "e" word banned in Georgia?

At least Jimmy Carter is going peanuts about it
M
----- Original Message -----
From: "Roger G. Olson" <rogero@saintjoe.edu>
To: <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Sunday, February 01, 2004 9:29 PM
Subject: The "e" word banned in Georgia?

>
> Folks,
>
> A colleague of mine sent this to me yesterday.
>
> Maybe there's some value to the idea -- afterall, words do matter.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Ga. Official Wants to Replace 'Evolution'
> By DOUG GROSS
>
> ATLANTA (AP) - The state's school superintendent has proposed striking the
> word evolution from Georgia's science curriculum and replacing it with the
> phrase ``biological changes over time.''
>
> The change, which drew criticism from both liberals and conservatives, is
> included in more than 800 pages of draft revisions to Georgia's curriculum
> that have been posted by the Department of Education on its Web site. The
> middle and high school standards are expected to be voted on by the state
> Board of Education in May, after public comments.
>
> Superintendent Kathy Cox said the concept of evolution would still be
> taught under the proposal, but the word would not be used in the
> curriculum. The proposal would not require schools to buy new textbooks
> omitting the word evolution and would not prevent teachers from using it.
>
> Cox, a Republican elected to the post in 2002, repeatedly referred to
> evolution as a ``buzzword'' Thursday and said the ban was proposed, in
> part, to alleviate pressure on teachers in socially conservative areas
> where parents object to its teaching.
>
> ``If teachers across this state, parents across this state say, 'This is
> not what we want,' then we'll change it,'' Cox said.
>
> Educators and legislators criticized the proposal, saying science teachers
> understand the theories behind evolution and how to teach them.
>
> ``Here we are, saying we have to improve standards and improve education,
> and we're just throwing a bone to the conservatives with total disregard
> to what scientists say,'' said state Rep. Bob Holmes, a Democrat.
>
> Former President Jimmy Carter had harsh words for the change on Friday,
> calling it an embarrassment and saying it exposes the state to nationwide
> ridicule.
>
> ``As a Christian, a trained engineer and scientist, and a professor at
> Emory University, I am embarrassed by Superintendent Kathy Cox's attempt
> to censor and distort the education of Georgia's students,'' Carter said
> in a statement.
>
> Social conservatives who prefer religious creation to be taught instead of
> evolution criticized the proposal as well.
>
> ``If you're teaching the concept without the word, what's the point?''
> said Rep. Bobby Franklin, a Republican. ``It's stupid. It's like teaching
> gravity without using the word gravity.''
>
> Carter, a Baptist and Democrat who had served as Georgia governor before
> he was elected president in 1976, said that existing references to
> evolution in Georgia's curriculum have done nothing to damage religious
> faith in the state.
>
> Cox spokesman Kirk Englehardt said the superintendent was reviewing
> Carter's statement Friday morning and did not have an immediate response.
>
> On the Net:
>
> Georgia Department of Education: http://www.gadoe.org
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
Received on Mon Feb 2 02:16:35 2004