Comments on: Obama’s School Talk and Critical Thinking: a Lost Opportunity http://mediactive.com/2009/09/08/obamas-school-talk-and-critical-thinking-a-lost-opportunity/ Creating a User's Guide to Democratized Media Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:57:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Dan Gillmor http://mediactive.com/2009/09/08/obamas-school-talk-and-critical-thinking-a-lost-opportunity/#comment-385 Dan Gillmor Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:30:38 +0000 http://mediactive.com/2009/09/08/obamas-school-talk-and-critical-thinking-a-lost-opportunity/#comment-385 I'm not going to get into a theological debate here, which is what you're trying to start. Creationism does not belong in science class, period. It is not evidence-based, whereas there is ample scientific evidence to back up evolution. Teaching critical thinking, as noted, is not presenting mythology and evidence-backed science as equally compelling "sides" of an issue. That twists the entire idea. I'm entirely okay with having kids read and understand the Bible in other parts of the curriculum, by the way, as part of an understanding of religion's role in society. (You can't possibly understand Faulkner, for example, without some knowledge of the Bible.) It just doesn't belong in science class. I’m not going to get into a theological debate here, which is what you’re trying to start. Creationism does not belong in science class, period. It is not evidence-based, whereas there is ample scientific evidence to back up evolution.

Teaching critical thinking, as noted, is not presenting mythology and evidence-backed science as equally compelling “sides” of an issue. That twists the entire idea.

I’m entirely okay with having kids read and understand the Bible in other parts of the curriculum, by the way, as part of an understanding of religion’s role in society. (You can’t possibly understand Faulkner, for example, without some knowledge of the Bible.) It just doesn’t belong in science class.

]]> By: Evan Roberts http://mediactive.com/2009/09/08/obamas-school-talk-and-critical-thinking-a-lost-opportunity/#comment-383 Evan Roberts Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:06:47 +0000 http://mediactive.com/2009/09/08/obamas-school-talk-and-critical-thinking-a-lost-opportunity/#comment-383 Hmm where to begin? Coming from a public school system and a private liberal arts college, I completely agree with two things here: the missed critical thinking opp and the lack of responsible journalism. I also agree that it is our responsibility to become informed and know what we're talking about. I disagree with your creationism example. Evolution is also still a theory, which has been proven and disproven and reproven ad nauseam by numerous scientists whose names will forever be lost in Darwin's shadow. The point of including biblical creationism (or any religious creation story for that matter) is the acquisition of knowledge. Let the student decide for themselves. That is what this administration is trying to achieve by the level of disclosure they promote. Maybe I'm naive but wouldn't it make more sense for an adequately informed populace to make better decisions than an ignorant one? Hmm where to begin? Coming from a public school system and a private liberal arts college, I completely agree with two things here: the missed critical thinking opp and the lack of responsible journalism. I also agree that it is our responsibility to become informed and know what we’re talking about. I disagree with your creationism example.
Evolution is also still a theory, which has been proven and disproven and reproven ad nauseam by numerous scientists whose names will forever be lost in Darwin’s shadow. The point of including biblical creationism (or any religious creation story for that matter) is the acquisition of knowledge. Let the student decide for themselves. That is what this administration is trying to achieve by the level of disclosure they promote. Maybe I’m naive but wouldn’t it make more sense for an adequately informed populace to make better decisions than an ignorant one?

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