Florida teachers often fearful of teaching evolution...fear of backlash.

[madfloridian]

What a sad situation. It shows how much control the Christian community has in our state. It really did sort of slip up on us. We were so busy fighting with them over abortion and gays that we failed to realize they were winning the battle over science.

Read the words of these teachers and tremble for where we are in this state.

Teachers Leery About Subject of Evolution

Sometimes, Allyn Sue Baylor doesn't teach evolution in her science class, even though the state requires it. She knows of other teachers who duck the issue, too. They fear a backlash.

"There are cases when parents have gotten really upset," said Baylor, who teaches at Palm Harbor Middle School in Pinellas County. "It's scary. You can lose your job."

Meanwhile, David Campbell, a science teacher at Ridgeview High in Clay County, near Jacksonville, heads off conflict by telling students what may seem obvious: There's a big difference between science and faith.

As an emotional debate continues to unfold over Florida's proposed new science standards - standards that students will be tested on next year - it's surprisingly unclear how often kids raise concerns about evolution, how teachers respond, and how many avoid the topic altogether. To answer those questions, the St. Petersburg Times attempted to contact more than 50 science teachers in the Tampa Bay area and beyond. Most did not respond.

A science supervisor in one district suggested teachers may be gun-shy given recent headlines. A spokeswoman in another district told principals to instruct their teachers not to talk to a Times reporter.

In many counties the majority of the school board members support teaching evolution only in conjunction with intelligent design.

I am starting to realize there are so many who believe in the young earth creationist theory, that the earth is only a few thousand years old. How does a teacher teach science when the students use the Bible against them?

More about some of the problems in Florida in getting evolution taught.

Florida school superintendent on evolution: "There's holes in it you can drive a truck through."

Evolution is "going to be taught as fact, and everyone knows it's not fact," said Dennis Bennett, the superintendent in Dixie County, west of Gainesville. "There's holes in it you can drive a truck through."

At least seven of Florida's 67 school boards, all north of Ocala, have passed opposition resolutions, according to the Florida Citizens for Science, a group that supports the standards and has been methodically searching board minutes.

I believe a lot of this is the result of the Republican party build up in the 90s by the fundamentalist Christians. They had the policy of running for every office, even school boards.

If that sounds familiar, our party is taking that idea from them and implementing it. I doubt we would use to keep science from being taught honestly.

[TooBigaTent]

1. Simple solution - students from a district that does not teach science FACT

are given provisional diplomas and not allowed into college until they pass a remedial science course.

[kestrel91316]

2. My guess is more than a few of those teachers are afraid of

being SHOT. And I don't blame them.

[wtmusic]

3. My fundie friend heads programming for a documentary channel

and edits out any references to the Earth being older than 6,000 years.

Seriously. These people are whacked.

[madfloridian]

8. Now that is scary.

I think the History Channel does some of that editing on many topics.

[Jim__]

4. "I doubt we would use to keep science from being taught honestly. "

And, sadly, that's why a lot of "them" don't want "us" in office.

I really don't know how you get past stuff like this.

[Lost-in-FL]

5. Not trying to kidnap your thread but check this link out.

It is about the Broward County School forcing their graduations at the local Church with the excuse of not having any facilities to conduct the ceremonies. Not only this but the school was PAYING for the use of the Church when the local facilities (Local Stadium) could be used for FREE!!!!

http://www.atheistview.com/musgrove_vs__brevard_county_school_board.htm

[madfloridian]

7. You are right, they do not want that church/state separation.

They did that in our area years ago, and people got upset.

[madfloridian]

6. Duval County schools not sure how they will proceed.

I am amazed at how casually the scientific aspects are dismissed, like oh well, we might teach or not. Amazing.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/011708/met_237288652.shtml

"The Duval County School Board, which oversees the largest school system in the region, has not yet made a decision on the new science standards, said Chairwoman Betty Burney.

"It hasn't come up with us yet because we've been focused on other things," she said.

The board, however, will be studying the issue. "We don't want to make any rash decisions," Burney said.

Backers of the resolutions contend they're not trying to drive evolution out of schools. Instead, they say they object to presenting evolution as - in the words of the St. Johns County resolution - a "dogmatic fact."

Some school superintendents say the resolutions reflect the religious nature of their constituents in Northeast Florida.

"Of course, the farther south you get, you don't see them necessarily embracing what we are saying," said Baker County Superintendent Paula Barton. "To be honest with you, we are a strong Christian community here, and once people here have gotten a hold of , they've certainly given it strong support."

Eeek.