Creationism In US High Schools: 16 Percent Of US Science Teachers Are Creationists

ABC News reports on the findings of a study that concluded 16% of U.S. science teachers are Creationists, and that, disturbingly, one in eight are teaching creationism as a valid science:

Despite a court-ordered ban on the teaching of creationism in U.S. schools, about one in eight high-school biology teachers still teach it as valid science, a survey reveals. And, although almost all teachers also taught evolution, those with less training in science -- and especially evolutionary biology -- tend to devote less class time to Darwinian principles...

...The researchers polled a random sample of nearly 2,000 high-school science teachers across the U.S. in 2007. Of the 939 who responded, 2 percent said they did not cover evolution at all, with the majority spending between 3 and 10 classroom hours on the subject.

However, a quarter of the teachers also reported spending at least some time teaching about creationism or intelligent design. Of these, 48 percent -- about 12.5 percent of the total survey -- said they taught it as a "valid, scientific alternative to Darwinian explanations for the origin of species".

Related: Ben Stein: Front Man for Creationism's Manufactroversy

Comments

[conned]

There is no reason why someone cannot believe in both creationism and evolution at the same time. I think evolution is just how God did his work. But creationism is not science, and the theory of evolution is supported by mountains of data. Teach philosophy and logic in highschools!!!

[thisoldbroad]

So where is the enforcement of the laws? Creationism is not supposed to be taught in our schools. Where are the school boards, PTA's & parents? Who the hell is looking out for the students?????

Creationists don't acknowledge the true age of anything & call carbon dating techniques junk science & a lie. How can they possibly be science teachers when they don't acknowledge anything. How can these students move on to study the sciences when they've been taught the science isn't true?

OMG!!!! It should scare the hell out of everyone the number of home schooled children who are taught these & other faith based theories instead of proven science.

So - where do we go to bring this into the light & stop it?

[USAisEVIL]

More proof that your country is a joke. Stupidity is a shameful thing for people in most nations. But in the USA it is a badge of pride and honor. Your President actually appeals to many voters with his stupid talk, like "nucular" power or weapons. Your TV game shows celebrate stupidity. Your University students can't find Iraq on a map. And most of you believe the government lie that you are respected around the world for freedom and democracy. You are ignorant Nazis. The only thing you have, in excess of stupidity is arrogance.

[democracydiva]

Where are you from? Stupidity is a quality of human beings not just americans even though some americans do it so well. 9/11 was no surprise to me, dude, our dumbass foreign policy was mostly raiding other nations for their wealth. The chickens came home to roost.

Do you have forgiveness in your heart for your own stupidity as well as others? It helps to start there in dealing with stupidity. Peace to you.

[protagonia]

USAisEVIL,

As a progressive, I'd like to say that though I do agree that we have evil leadership of late, but the working Americans in the middle class are not evil. We've been lied to. We are scared.

We are not all nazis, though some damaged individuals exist in our midst. They are a tiny speck compared to good people here.

The populace is waking up.

[CC1]

You are right. Unfortunately some are too hateful to abandon stupid stereotypes and ignorant generalizations. University students not finding Iraq on a map? Lie.

[Horst]

Remember America's deteriorating economy needs lots of uneducated people...keep up the good work.

[gaila]

Too bad this survey did not also report the percentage of these teachers who do not have academic credentials in science. Sadly, it is often the case that teachers are teaching subjects that they are not at all qualified to teach. I'm betting it would be pretty unusual for a a teacher who has completed a college science curriculum to be teaching creationism unless forced to by a local school board.

Also, wouldn't it be great if some national media outlet would decide to have a reporter follow a student from one of the schools teaching creationism, who aspires to a career in science or medicine? What happens when the student lands in a college biology class for science majors, and has to compete against students with high school science backgrounds that actually focused on science instead of religion? Maybe a story like that would help the uniformed understand more about what science really is.

[Thereandback]

The journal article in which the study was presented is available online:

Evolution and Creationism in America's Classrooms: A National Portrait
Michael B. Berkman*, Julianna Sandell Pacheco, Eric Plutzer

Citation: Berkman MB, Pacheco JS, Plutzer E (2008) Evolution and Creationism in America's Classrooms: A National Portrait. PLoS Biol 6(5): e124 doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0060124

[Thereandback]

Oh. Forgot the link:

http://biology.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.0060124

[raker]

The nuns taught us that god created the universe. They also taught us science, including evolution. My liberal catholic nuns knew how to reconcile faith and science, attributing scientific facts to god's plan. Perfect. Fighting faith vs. science, trying to prove matters of faith "scientifically" belies a deep insecurity in faith. Maybe they should consider exiting the cave and come out into the light.

[shockmagog]

How true. Is their faith so fragile? I suppose it is.

[lisakaz2]

The Catholics had a few hundred years (post Galileo) to start reconciling faith with science. I think maybe since they didn't have to accept Darwin (he wasn't Catholic) right away gave them an advantage, as did the fact that the didn't base their world view solely on Biblical authority. I saw in the 1970s they were cool with Darwin. I don't get these ppl who still can't get "over" the obvious.

[Whatevah]

The tolerance for this creationism nonsense is intolerable. Lots of "historians" claim the holocaust never happened and that there's a Jewish conspiracy to take over the world. Nobody would allow teachers to provide both sides of that controversy.

[macracan]

This is a country to be f*king proud of. Ooooh, be very afraid of the government telling us what to teach kids in schools! You see, we're dumb enough to put garbage in their heads on our own! Proud, very f*king proud! No wonder other countries are passing us by (if not already ahead of us) in education, technical savvy and quality of life.

[ianrthorpe]

Not as high as I would have guessed.

All high school students shoud be required to watch Eddie Izzard's Creation routine before watching Monty Python's Life Of Brian (which is more historically accurate than the New Testament.)

Comedy and ridicule are the best weapons against unreason.

http://greenteeth.blog.co.uk/2008/05/21/denying-lesbian-couples-ivf-treatment-wi-4203567

[Ajita]

Did anyone notice that this was from a survey? I'm sure the actual numbers are even more appalling, considering some of the teachers knew they were breaking the law.

[Acebass]

Creationism is not science. They should have the same standards of proof that any scientific theory must present in order to be taken seriously. This is still another attempt at the religious rights mudding the waters of science for their own ends.
Noah did not have dinosaurs on the Ark.

[itolduso]

they were dragons

[formlessness]

creationism isn't science, if you can't use the scientific method on it, it's not science. Even string theory has math to back up it's claims. Creationism offers absolutely no testable data, it only offers a weak excuse to teach christianity in the classroom.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

There is a place for religion and there is a place for science. School is not a venue to dispense religious teachings. This is why we have Churches and Parents. Why do these Parents expect the school to teach on religious matters? Teach them science at school and if the kid has questions then obviously the education has worked. We all question the reality of God but in essence isn't that what faith is all about? To believe without seeing.

[hypnotoad72]

As long as teachers don't put personal bias into what is taught by the books, there is no relevance in what they believe.