Fair: Let’s go beyond Darwin

Rebuffed earlier this month by the S.C. school board, state Sen. Mike Fair plans to continue his crusade to permit discussion of other theories on the origin of humanity — such as creationism — in public high school biology classes.

The Greenville Republican failed to convince the state Department of Education to include wording in revised teaching standards that would have allowed classroom discussion beyond evolution. However, he said he might seek to postpone a final vote on the instructional goals so he can continue to lobby his position.

And Fair has a “safety net”: a bill he introduced during the 2005 Legislature that would allow “philosophy of science” instruction in all public schools.

The debate about competing theories on the origin of life — and the ability for schools to teach all of them — has spread nationwide with the “intelligent design” movement. Proponents believe a higher power orchestrated the development of life on Earth.

Fair insists his campaign to amend South Carolina’s uniform teaching standards “is not a portal to an ‘intelligent design’ curriculum.”


http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/13215048.htm

What an ass. He's been on the loony Christian fringe for years.

Wasn't Fair the nutcase who prevented (or at least attempted) opposite gender visitation in the USC dorms when his daughter attended Carolina in the mid-80s?

worry about bird flu . . . since without evolution, it cannot replicate and evolve to a point at which it infect humans.

Suprised it hasn't happened sooner.

For 23 years I've been a good citizen and payed Spgt Co taxes, the bulk of which goes to the schools. We are childless but understand the concept of commonweal, something that escapes the libertarians. When the state starts pushing this stealth religion bullshit my tax money can no longer be counted on. My money will not be used to supplant established science with gibberish.

I definitely think ID/Creationism should never enter into ANY of the biology/physics/chemistry courses in ANY public school. I can't, however, think of any valid objection to a philosophy course that debates that issue and others like it...except that most high school kids would probably be better served spending that time improving basic math and language skills.

What about a senior-level elective...or maybe two courses back-to-back, one semester each. The first semester could be an introduction to argument and logic, the second semester could be a more in depth philosophy course that allows student to apply their logic and arguments to controversial issues. ID, abortion, euthanasia, etc. Students could then be graded on the quality of their arguments as opposed to the conclusions they draw.

It could end up being a can of worms that folks like Sen. Fair wish they hadn't opened. I know I would have jumped at the chance to take classes like that when I was in high school. Much more interesting than "Government" or "Economics" :P

Somehow I don't thing that's what they've got in mind or would let happen. Hell, it might take money away from the football program.

Welcome to DU!

read about philosophy

Curious.

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