An evolving argument on creationism

CALLS to have creationism banned in all science lessons have renewed following allegations of fundamentalist teaching in some British schools.

The ongoing storm about extremist Islamic views in schools in Birmingham has led to questions about religious ideology being taught as fact in other areas.

Speaking on the British Broadcasting Corporation's Newsnight program President of the

Association of Science Education, Professor Alice Roberts, gave substance to claims that some schools are still teaching a fundamentalist Christian belief as scientific fact.

Currently approximately 30 schools in the UK use the Accelerated Christian Education syllabus during science lessons. 

ACE teaches children creationism over evolution, that the world is only a matter of thousands, rather than billions, of years old and that the bible is the final authority on scientific matters.

Professor Robert's has made previous calls for creationism to be restricted to religious education, rather than being included in science lessons.

“There should be regulation that prevents all schools, not just state schools, from teaching creationism because it is indoctrination, it is planting ideas into children’s heads,” she told TES in January. “We should be teaching children to be much more open-minded.

“People who believe in creationism say that by teaching evolution you are indoctrinating them with science, but I just don’t agree with that. Science is about questioning things. It’s about teaching people to say, ‘I don’t believe it until we have very strong evidence.’”

In a statement on its website Christian Education in Europe, which sets out the ACE curriculum, defended its stance.

"Like all curricula, there are areas that may be considered sensitive and contentious depending on one’s personal social, cultural or religious beliefs, but we encourage the teacher/parent to handle these with love and sensitivity. Our curriculum does point to God as the creator; this is a view we are entitled to hold as there is enough robust debate around the question of evolution/creation within the scientific community itself to make this a valid decision, based on personal choice."

In January the UK Department of Education ratified moves to ban the teaching of creationism as science, and to remove funding from free schools which continue to do so. This has not stopped some private schools from continuing to follow the controversial curriculum. 

The debate has not been limited to the UK, however. A recent Gallup poll revealed that 42 per cent of Americans still believed that the biblical interpretation of creation held more weight than evolution. According to reports some ACE textbooks state:"The evolutionist needs some kind of a god with rules to explain what exists today, or he cannot explain it; and yet, he rejects such a god.

"It is more responsible and more reasonable to presuppose that God exists and then pick up the Bible and read 'In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth' (Genesis 1:1).

"Then you can see purpose in Creation, understand change, accept miracles, and know that His purpose has a goal."