I've been thinking about why Intelligent Design is so appealing to people. As we all know religion has been a target in the public schools for a long time. My brothers and sisters now have a "winter break" whereas when I was in grade school it was "Christmas break". They can't celebrate most holidays in school. There's no prayer, no pledge of allegiance, nothing to do with religion. So, the general Christian public is concerned, they want religion back in the school and for some ID looks like a good way to do it (and degrade evolution at the same time, 2-for-1).
Obviously the problem here is putting religion in the public school is unconstitutional. The only way I see to fix this problem is to put MORALITY back in the public schools. Teach students to have higher moral standards. Teach them to have respect, charity, humility, determination, tradition, etc.
Does anyone else have a solution? Or perhaps a way to implement putting morality back in the schools. Maybe the parents should be taught to have higher moral standards, or taught how to get their kids to have higher standards. Now I'm just rambling... what do you think?
Obviously the problem here is putting religion in the public school is unconstitutional. The only way I see to fix this problem is to put MORALITY back in the public schools. Teach students to have higher moral standards. Teach them to have respect, charity, humility, determination, tradition, etc.
Does anyone else have a solution? Or perhaps a way to implement putting morality back in the schools. Maybe the parents should be taught to have higher moral standards, or taught how to get their kids to have higher standards. Now I'm just rambling... what do you think?
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i obviously have a biased opinion here (but what opinion isn't biased?). i think that a general philosophy class should be taught in middle or highschool (and maybe even simplified versions in elementary school), something like the ethics and values course which is a required general course at uvsc. morality, even christian morality, can then be presented as an ethical theory (among other theories of course).
I'll be taking Constitutional Law in the Fall and we'll be talking about that. I'll get back to you.
Thanks guys. I know this is a difficult topic.
Heather, you hit it right on the nose with the last statement in your post (before the rambling part). Parents are responsible for teaching their children those values. The problem isn't with the schools. Schools need only supplement what kids should already be taught in their homes. Unfortunately, this is something that you see less and less of.
Enjoying your posts, although I'm on Skeptico's side. The reason ID is pushed by Christians in school has nothing to do with getting religion back in. It is because those who beleive in creation rather than evolution want their kids exposed to BOTH ideas rather than just the theory they don't subscribe to. It would be the same way that a vegetarian would want to be able to order a suitable meal for themselves at a restaurant or a health nut wants a workout room in the hotel they stay at. They believe it's important and although not everybody subscribes to it, enough people do that accommodations are made.
I realize you don't have kids yet (neither do your commenters as far as I can tell). When you get to that stage of life, you'll realize how fiercely you'll object to anyone teaching anything to your children that you don't agree with or believe, whether it has to do with proper manners, health & fitness, sex, religion or forbid it, science.
If there is concrete evidence for the theory of evolution, there should be no threat in presenting the point that there are also scientists who argue for creation.
My 8 and 10 yo kids listen to a kids radio show every week providing evidence for creation...they would be completely comfortable sitting through a science class presenting both views.