While reading through a week's worth of email, I ran across a few lines
in one of Richard's emails on the "academic freedom bill" that I find to
be a bit misinformed. Granted, I understand Richard's main concern, but
I feel the need to clear up the topic.
Richard expresses concern over a student "objecting to evolution in a
biology class without equal time to creationism or a law of physics
rather than God's law in an engineering course." Why would creationists
object to a law of physics? Creationists do not have a problem with
demonstrable, measurable, repeatable science (e.g. physics, chemistry,
genetics). Instead, they disagree with the metaphysical theories
about the historic origin of time, space, and life (e.g. macro-
evolutionary theories--punctuated equilibrium, neo-Darwinian evolution)
which are increasingly taught as fact instead of theory.
Stephen
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [UTCSTAFF] Student Complaints
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005 13:43:07 -0500
From: Richard Rice <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: Richard Rice <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
If you are interested in the proposed "academic freedom bill" in the
legislature, you should be if you are teaching arts, social sciences,
history, literature...other subjects are not targeted, although one can
imagine a single student objecting to evolution in a biology class without
equal time to creationism, or a law of physics rather than God's law in an
engineering course. You can find out more about this growing national
movement by looking at their web site:
http://www.studentsforacademicfreedom.org/
On this website is their 71 page Student Handbook with advice about
organizing, publicity, press releases, and in Appendix D a Complaint Form
for filing violations. Do not take this lightly; if the
legislation becomes law, you will have to worry about introducing new and
possibly controversial ideas in your classes that may create a "hostile
environment" if a student so feels. Note the leading questions in the
complaint form.
Richard Rice
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