[asa] ICR Degrees in Science?

Forwarded from NCSE:

The Institute for Creation Research is seeking to grant graduate degrees
in Texas. Meanwhile, Glenn Branch offers his take on the Comer
controversy, the Alliance for Science is holding its second annual essay
contest, and new content from Reports of the NCSE is available on the
NCSE website.

ICR SEEKS TO GRANT DEGREES IN TEXAS

The Institute for Creation Research, a young-earth creationist
organization, has cleared the first hurdle in its quest for
authorization to issue master's degrees in science education in Texas.
The Dallas Morning News (December 15, 2007) reported, "The nonprofit
Institute for Creation Research in Dallas wants to train future science
teachers in Texas and elsewhere using an online curriculum. A state
advisory group gave its approval Friday; now the final say rests with
the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, which will consider the
request next month." According to a December 17, 2007, report by Steven
Schafersman of Texas Citizens for Science, THECB will meet on January
24, 2008, to consider the ICR's application. If approved, the ICR will
have two years to obtain accreditation for its graduate school from an
independent accreditation agency.

ICR recently moved its headquarters from the San Diego, California, area
to Dallas. In the October issue of ICR's publication Acts & Facts, its
president John Morris explained, "The possibility of moving to Dallas
surfaced when my brother, Dr. Henry Morris III, discerned that a central
location would be beneficial for ICR, with several possibilities for
student services at nearby affiliated colleges. The many good churches
and large numbers of ICR supporters living in North Texas made it a
natural fit for the ministry. When my father [Henry Morris] was still
alive he approved the move to Dallas, especially as a way to strengthen
the graduate school. In 2006, ICR opened a distance education effort in
Dallas, as well as the hub of ICR's internet ministries. ... As
additional operational functions were assigned to the new Dallas office,
the Board concluded that it was in ICR's best interests to move the
entire ministry."

The ICR's graduate school was previously accredited by the Transnational
Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), a group founded
by Henry Morris; Henry Morris III presently serves on its commission.
Texas does not recognize accreditation by TRACS, forcing the ICR to seek
temporary state certification while it applies for accreditation from
the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). As a first
step toward certification, a committee of Texas educators visited the
ICR's facilities in Dallas to evaluate whether the ICR meets the legal
requirements for state certification. The report described the
educational program as "plausible," adding, "The proposed degree would
be generally comparable to an initial master's degree in science
education from one of the smaller, regional universities in the state."

NCSE's Eugenie C. Scott disagreed, telling the Dallas Morning News, "It
sounds like the committee may have just taken at face value what the ICR
claims ... There's a huge gulf between what the ICR is doing and what
they're doing at legitimate institutions like ... [the University of
Texas] or Baylor." (The committee members were a librarian, an
educational administrator, and a mathematician; none was professionally
trained in biology, geology, or physics.) Inside Higher Ed reported
(December 17, 2007), "Some science groups are aghast by the idea that
Texas would authorize master's degrees in science education that are
based on complete opposition to evolution and literal acceptance of the
Bible. And these groups are particularly concerned because the students
in these programs would be people who are or want to be school
teachers."

Although Patricia Nason, chair of the ICR's science education
department, told the Dallas Morning News, "Our students are given both
sides. They need to know both sides, and they can draw their own
conclusion," the ICR's statement of faith includes the tenet, "All
things in the universe were created and made by God in the six literal
days of the creation week described in Genesis 1:1-2:3, and confirmed in
Exodus 20:8-11. The creation record is factual, historical and
perspicuous; thus all theories of origins or development which involve
evolution in any form are false." Similarly, applicants to the ICR's
graduate school are explicitly told that their answers to the essay
questions on the application help to determine "your dedication to the
Lord, the Word, and teaching creation science."

According to the Dallas Morning News's article, the ICR's graduate
program "offers typical education classes, teaching such fundamentals as
how to use lab equipment, the Internet and PowerPoint in the classroom.
But it also offers a class called 'Advanced studies in creationism.'
And the course Web page for 'Curriculum design in science' gives this
scenario: 'The school board has asked you to serve on a committee that
is examining grades 6-12 science goals. ... Both evolutionist and
creationist teachers serve on the curriculum committee. How will you
convince them to include creation science as well as evolution in the
new scope and sequence?'" The ICR's graduate school's website
repeatedly declares, "ICR maintains that scientific creationism should
be taught along with the scientific aspects of evolutionism in
tax-supported institutions."

The Texas Commissioner of Higher Education, Raymund Paredes, is to study
the ICR's application and offer his opinion to THECB. He told the San
Antonio Express-News (December 19, 2007), "Because this controversy is
so potentially hot, we owe it to both sides to be absolutely fair in
evaluating it. ... Maybe the real issue here is to put this proposal in
the right category. Maybe it's not a program in science education.
Maybe it's a program in creation studies. Then we have to decide
whether that is a legitimate field or not." The New York Times
(December 19, 2007) reported, "Asked how the institute could educate
students to teach science, Dr. Paredes, who holds a doctorate in
American civilization from the University of Texas and served 10 years
as vice chancellor for academic development at the University of
California, said, 'I don't know. I'm not a scientist.'"

For the Dallas Morning News's article, visit:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/healthscience/stories/1
21507dnmetcreation.2b0d011.html

For Texas Citizens for Science's report, visit:
http://www.texscience.org/reviews/icr-thecb-certification.htm

For the THECB committee's report (PDF), visit:
http://www.texscience.org/reviews/ICR-Site-Visit-Report-and-ICR-Response
.pdf

For Inside Higher Ed's article, visit:
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/12/17/texas

For the San Antonio Express-News's article, visit:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA121907.01A.Creationis
m.2951a43.html

For The New York Times's article, visit:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/19/education/19texas.html

Dick Fischer

Dick Fischer, Genesis Proclaimed Association

Finding Harmony in Bible, Science, and History

 <http://www.genesisproclaimed.org/> www.genesisproclaimed.org

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Received on Sat Dec 22 14:24:26 2007