British humanist association and creation in the UK

An exam board in the UK has been blasted because it gave guidance to teachers to explain that the fossil record has been explained differently (by creationists) in the past. The British Humanist Association is fearful that even doing this might open the way for some teachers to question evolution or mention creation. It looks like the authorities will succumb to the humanists' requests to ensure students are never allowed to hear even the possibility that people have interpreted such things as the fossil record differently in the past.

What we are seeing more and more in the UK and the USA is that there are moves to teach evolution as FACT, and to prohibit any possible mention of a creation explanation, and not even to mention that there were many in the past (let alone the present) who interpreted the creation record in terms of the creation account (the Flood, etc). This illustrates how far the culture has fallen!

The article stated:

The exam board at the centre of a storm surrounding the teaching of creationism has committed to re-visit its guidance to avoid the threat to science teaching that many feared, and to issue strict guidance to trainee teachers on their exam programme. The "Gateway Science" specification had caused controversy because teachers were asked to "explain that the fossil record has been interpreted differently over time (e.g. creationist interpretation)".

But now, in a letter to the British Humanist Association, OCR said they were "happy to commit to reviewing the wording of this part of the Gateway Science (Biology) specification for the next edition". They continue that "more immediately, we shall be issuing guidance in the many In-Service Teacher training (INSETs) and Network meetings we carry out during the year for the specification."

OCR envisage the guidance to teachers being "along the following lines: Only a creationist interpretation of the fossil record prior to, or contemporary, to Darwin needs to be explained in this context - such that students are able to understand the fundamental departure of Darwin's work from the religious norms of his time."

Concerns had been raised that the inclusion of creation in the specification could operate as a Trojan horse for those who wish to smuggle creationism and intelligent design into their science teaching. This new guidance makes clear that this should not occur.

Andrew Copson, BHA Education Officer, said: "We welcome the sensible decision of OCR. It is clear that they never intended that religious ideas should be taught in science, but too many creationists and advocates of intelligent design hide behind the claim that they want nothing more than for schools to 'teach the controversy'. We were concerned that by highlighting evolution as an area around which there can be controversy gave the wrong impression. Now it will be made clear that no scientific controversy does in fact exist, and there can be no teaching of religion in school science.

You can read the entire article at: www.politics.co.uk.

THE RAISING OF THE DRAGON

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Ken Ham