Schools, if not conservative Christians, can learn from experience 27 Aug 2009 The Des Moines Register reports that local schools are dropping elective Bible classes and critiques of evolutionary theory to avoid being sued (like in Dover PS). Spencer school officials will throw out a Bible class and discard a critique of evolutionary theory to avoid being sued over the district’s proposed “religious liberties” policy. Creationism and Intelligent Design Education Religion
Philosophy Warning: Dawkins leads to agnosticism 9 Jun 2010 It was during this time that you chaired an event for Richard Dawkins and, as a result, shifted your views from atheism to agnosticism. Why the conversion? The event sold out very quickly. The people were huge fans of Dawkins, and being amongst a group of card-carrying atheists was something… Read More
Politics A personal revelation 8 Dec 2007 John, hear me. What? Who said that? It is I, God. Oh come on. PZ, is that you? I’m not buying it. It is I, God. Look, I’ll prove it. [Clouds in the sky form the letters “Yep, It’s Me” for a minute and then evaporate.] Ummm, OK, for the… Read More
Creationism and Intelligent Design So many bad puns, so little time 28 Apr 2009 Wilkins is fragile and destablised Intellectual tourist attacks local inhabitants All happy bacteria are alike (or is that like each other?) Australian current affairs gets vaccination right! [That’s not a pun, it’s an act of God] The original video is here. Evolution does spreadsheets in origin of genetic code Siris… Read More
Heh. “Religious liberties” policies are almost never that, unless by “liberty” one means the right to jam one’s own religion down everybody’s throat. However, I would think a Bible studies class would be ok, if they’re actually studying the Bible. Sadly, I think the class was probably more like an hour of church than studying the Bible.
Hey, that’s right in Tara Smith’s back yard, right? Too bad her blog has gone silent. I bet she probably has something interesting things to say about this. In fact: Instead, it drew complaints from interfaith and nonreligious advocates, a university professor and an attorney from Americans United for Separation of Church and State in Washington, D.C., among others. I wouldn’t be shocked if that “university professor” is Dr. Smith (or possibly Hector Avalos).
…a Bible studies class would be ok, if they’re actually studying the Bible. hmm. And maybe a critique of evolutionary theory would be valuable, too, if done “critically”, but it’s unlikely at a high school level.