Teaching it in school seems unnecessary... it's not the place for it.

HOWEVER, I don't agree that it should be ignored all together, as it is a topic that has a lot of social value attached to it.

If it were up to me, in the "Evolution" section, I'd have a simple paragraph at the beginning of chapter. It would read something similar to:

The theory of Evolution has been a controversial subject, ever since the theory first appeared. Some people disagree with this notion, pointing towards another theory known as "Intelligent Design." ID is the theory that some higher power created all of life, and it is through them, that life came to be.

To some, this belief (often tied into their religious beliefs) contradicts the theory of Evolution. In this chapter, we will only discuss the theory of Evolution from a scientific perspective. For more information on other theories, including Intelligent Design, you may wish to talk to your teacher, librarian, or spiritual advisor.

I don’t think something like that would be unreasonable.

Yeah...And we can modify the physics books to explain that gravity is similar theory, but some people follow a different belief...the earth sucks.

Or is flat.

Or rides on the back of elephants.

Sorry, but when we're dealing with science, the alternate 'theories' that aren't based in science are not theories at all. They should not be treated as such.

Huge difference in a scientific theory and a theory formulated with no evidence whatsoever except faith.

The scientific theory belongs in science class and faith based theory belongs in church or your home.


"Theory: A theory is more like a scientific law than a hypothesis. A theory is an explanation of a set of related observations or events based upon proven hypotheses and verified multiple times by detached groups of researchers. One scientist cannot create a theory; he can only create a hypothesis.

In general, both a scientific theory and a scientific law are accepted to be true by the scientific community as a whole. Both are used to make predictions of events. Both are used to advance technology.

If you are going to teach young people to be productive members of society, they must understand what "drives" society... and it's not just science and logic.

ID may not have a place in a science class but that's not to say it shouldn't be taught in a public school.

NOTE: I don't mean "taught' as a truth, but as an influencing factor of our modern world... much like ImNotBlue said.

I'm pretty sure Kindergarten teachers and teachers of early grades do support the validity of Santa and the Easter Bunny if questioned by kids, while it isn't exactly teaching it I think it's still silly.

The only fictional characters I'm going to convince my children are real are Bigfoot, Wendigo, and Mokele-mbembe.

Personally, I believe if they want to any kind of religion in schools it should be done in a class where it is elective for students to partake in, not forced. It should include ALL religions and give the pros and cons to each because lets face it, some religions have valid points while in the same breath they also have ridiculous points.

I think it should be taught in schools but only as an elective class. The reason being that it will help children understand tolerance for other people's views as well as their own. If we sheild children away from these things at an early age we're only going to cause them harm when they're older and are confronted by a person of opposite religion.

Tolerance and knowledge is the key here. A key that needs to be given to children so that way they do not end up like some of these wackos who preach from a soap box or form communes where they drink the 'special' kool-aide.

I was going to say that i dont feel Intelligent Design should be instituted as a part of the school curriculum. However, if it were to come up, or be brought up by a student who asks a question...i dont think it should be a big deal if the teacher wishes to entertain the question logically and seriously. like some kid goes home and says GOD came up in my class today. And the parent flips out and calls the school or something.

However after reading what MH said...i think it could/should be offered as an elective course.

Q: Does Intelligent Design have a place in schools?

A: Yes.

Why?
For the Earth to support human life there are many events that must have taken place before that life can exist. On Earth those events include the presence of oxygen, a temperature variance that's not too cold or too hot, the presence of some sort of food infrastructure, etc...

I don't buy the argument that it all happened by accident.

but it's okay if they end up in a commune where they drink the electric kool aid....which I may form some day.

Where are you getting these "facts" from? None of them are necessarily true. The reason that the Earth has such abundant oxygen is because of life. Plants and things of that ilk changed the mass of CO2 into oxygen.

There's a perfect temperature variance on Earth as well. There are thermal vents that exude very high temperatures as well as the extremely cold ocean water surrounding it. In-between there's a temperature variant of many many degrees.

As for there having to be a food structure... what? I think you might mean some source of power. As for that, well, look into the sky. See that big ball of light? That happens to give off a lot of power.

Yeah, I agree with you. If ID is taught, it should be taught within the confines of a philosophy class, which is something that more students should be taught. They SHOULD learn about the different ways of thinking and not just something they are told to believe.

I think ID has no place in a school.

On the other hand Bible Studies and the study of ancient Greek and Roman culture are absolutely necessary IF a school wants to teach anything about European culture.

My 9 years old daughter told at school when asked that she is an atheist. Well, whatever is her decision I will make sure she is well educated in the books of the Bible and the myths of the ancient gods, because that is part of her heritage, her roots. If the school does not offer appropriate classes, that is just too bad, I will have to teach her myself, but I think this kind of cultural background education should be done in school.

I totally respect your opinion, who knows, maybe one day I might share your beliefs. I know you get pissed off with evolution and atheism posts so I just wanted to say before I comment that your beliefs are respected, by me at least.

The problem I have with Intelligent design and religion being taught in schools is that they are just that, beliefs.

Beliefs, IMO, are personal to the individual, I may believe in aliens based on "evidence" I've perceived but there's no factual basis for that belief, as yet, so I wouldn't want my children taught about UFO's in school.

School is a place to be educated not indoctrinated, there's a huge difference between the two. Sure, teach my kids about the worlds religions, give them facts but don't teach beliefs and religious doctrine as facts.

I personally believe that spirituality is highly personal, if my kids believe in ID when they are older then so be it, if they choose to be religious, so be it, but let them make those choices and seek out that information if and when they choose to.

School should be academic, teaching cold, hard facts not beliefs, beliefs maybe based on supposed "evidence", but still just a belief not a fact. Intelligent design is a belief not based in any facts but in faith, supposition and speculation.

You may commence downvoting.....now. :D

That's what church is for.

If religion is taught in school, it should be a religion class, covering many religions and beliefs.

Quoted for prosperity. I personally think ID is a load of excrement, and needs to be disposed of as such. It has no place in schools. At all.

I dont understand why are some religious people supporting ID. It is as if the Red Brigade was supported by Czechoslovakia from behind the iron curtain.
They just give a bad name to the cause.

I disagree not only because I have faith in these things, but also because many people have turned to the light in the darkest of times that might otherwise have ended their lives and the lives of others in tragedy. 'Course that has nothing to do with this thread.

I also disagree with that line. No place? None at all? You don't think the belief in intelligent design had any influence on the world you live in? You don't think that it is important form a psychological stand point? You don't think it would be appropriate in a philosophy class?

I think the mad hatter had the best point. Offer it as an elective in which all religeons are "taught". It shouldn't be a 'Christian Class', it should cover all religions.

Well you can have faith in a higher power, but there is simply no proof that any higher power made us all appear here in the blink of an eye.

I still stand by my words, because although religion itself has a place in schools in that there are religious classes that teach of the pros and cons of different religions and things, and that's okay, ID is a pseudoscience and has no place in schools at all.

ID isn't a pseudoscience, it's not a science at all.

When I was taught evolution in both high school science and in university biology and paleontology, we were given numerous (paleo class had 12, I remember) evidences of evolution. What evidence is there for ID besides the fact that we're here and can think?

On saying that, I agree with the others above me. ID has a place, in philosophy or world religions class, and it should be taught next to every other theory and idea of how we came to be. All of the more popular ideas ought to be taught to ensure everyone is well aware of how people think.

This is the point I made earlier, you have faith in these things so I presume you will teach your kids or they will at least be brought up in a believing household so won't need to be taught ID at school. Don't get me wrong I'm not knocking what you believe or belittling but you said you had faith in ID not that you have solid evidence and that's precisely what worries me about it being taught in schools, ID and religion is all based on faith not evidence and therefore doesn't have a part in compulsory education, optional maybe.




True.