So what I'm hearing here is Evolution isn't taught in many US High schools (??)

I'd like to try something, everyone answer these two questions.

Question One: Were you taught evolution in school?
Question Two: Which one do you sway towards? Evolution or Creationism

1. Yes, I was exposed to both theories
2. I believe in evolution. Even as a child, I didn't think we were supposed to take creationism seriously.

Evolution is not a belief system. Creationism is.

1. I was taught Creationism at Sunday school. I was taught evolution at real school.
2. It's not a matter of belief. Evolution is demonstrably the best answer as to how we got to where we are on the planet. Creationism is a fairy tale, where the magic man creates THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE in a day, and then creates our planet over the course of the next 6. I never took it any more seriously than I took Mother Goose bedtime stories.

I'm pretty sure the problem most people run into with this debate is the difference between the process of evolution and the ideal that humans evolved from some other species. They aren't the same thing. Evolution as a process should be taught in school since it is observable over a human timescale, is supported by tremendous bodies of evidence and is pretty important in terms of both scientific progress and biology in general.

People can believe whatever they want. However, this feel-good approach to democracy in the classroom doesn't change the fact that evolutionary theory is proper science, while the "alternatives" are mostly just religious beliefs. Apples and oranges.

And to answer the two questions:

1) I don't recall being taught evolution explicity, but then again I never took high-school biology. I did however take University classes on it. And FWIW, I grew up in Canada, not the US.
2) Evolution (obviously). It's a real-world science with real-world application. Creationism is just religion.

I don't think the questionnaire will get a good distribution of different people. I've found the sift to be mostly areligious.

1. as a recent graduate, in Texas no less i can honestly say that in high school creationism never even came up. I will say i had a phenomenal biology teacher. Really did, the man held multiple doctorates and literally taught because he enjoyed it. My point only is that I fear my classmates and myself were very fortunate and not the norm.

2. most certainly believe in evolution... i was raised catholic... and i'm absolutely the worst kind of hypocrite... still go through all the ritual BS for holidays and to appease family but since i've gone off too school i've most certainly ceased to be catholic. Creationism has never seemed like anything but a bed time story...

Honestly it could not be more obvious that none of these woman... (admittedly i couldn't stomach past about half way) have NO DAMN IDEA what evolution even is.

*terrible *religion

Adding video to channels (Religion, Terrible) - requested by MrFisk.

Guess what guys. Miss California WON. Go science!

Some of these answers.... jeez, some of these girls ain't too bright are they?

>> ^offsetSammy:
Some of these answers.... jeez, some of these girls ain't too bright are they?


What, you didn't like Miss Nevada's idea to teach the evolution of communities?

I call on @bareboards2

She needs to see the real enemies of the women's movement...

Holy crap. These women are in their early twenties at the oldest and most of them have been so heavily botoxed they can't even move their eyebrows.

And also they're dumb.

Shinyblurry's colleagues.

I personally believe that US Americans can't find god in the classroom because they don't have the maps.

Wow, not from Miss America!

Shocking, truly shocking!!!

Given how much I follow politics, I kinda recognize when people are just trying to give the least offensive answer to a question and avoid controversy.

So, girls in a beauty contest are overwhelmingly giving the safe answer "people can believe whatever they want, and people should be taught everything in school".

I wasn't keeping a tally, but I think there were only two that said evolution shouldn't be taught, and only 2-3 who took the position that it not only should be taught but taught as the one and only truth.

My feeling is that they need to find a way to teach epistemology to kids as early as possible. The real issue people care about in the creationism vs. evolution in school isn't whether they're taught generally, but whether they're taught as fact or opinion.

To some degree the solution to the larger debate isn't for the answer I think is right to win the fight (evolution), but to get more people to understand the limits of human knowledge, and to really come to understand the methods for evaluating whether something is true or false, or knowable or unknowable.

Yes, most people get exposed to those tools in science and math (empiricism and deduction, respectively), but it's probably worthy of a class itself.

Then again, if I ran the world "philosophy" would be as much a core subject as "math" and "science" in school.

Also, if I ran the world, I'd probably have more than one of these women in my harem...

Throughout this whole thing, I was just thinking "Please don't let the rep from may state come off as a bloody idiot"

It never ceases to amaze me how scientifically ignorant the USA is in general. Evolution is not something you 'believe' in. It's not an article of faith. There were so many comments in which the girl was so close to sounding like she might possibly have a clue only to fuck up at the end and say, "but all points of view or beliefs should be represented"

Fail.

In Canada, creationism isn't taught in science class. And I went to a catholic high school, and then a secular one. In the International Baccalaureate program (Grades 11-12) we were taught the basics of all the major religions, in a nice little course called "Theory of Knowledge" Best course ever!

ffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

That was depressing. Couldn't watch it all. I guess I shouldn't have high expectations, considering what it is...

Question One: Were you taught evolution in school?
Not in k-12. Not to any significant degree, anyway. But I also jumped from a private christian school to a public school in High School, so that may skew things. (I used to be a fairly hardcore christian)

Question Two: Which one do you sway towards? Evolution or Creationism
I feel silly even answering. Evolution.

Thanks for pointing this out to me, rottenseed.

My mind is just churning now -- I would LOVE to see a map of the US colored in the different "beliefs." The sense I got was the deep South women were the most heavily invested in teaching "the other side."

These were also the women who were chosen to represent their state -- as @NetRunner said, these women gave "safe" answers. I loved the honesty of the one who said "wow, I just made someone mad." Extra points for honesty.

Although I don't see what this has to do with the women's movement, rotty baby. Give me a good looking man from each of these states, I'm betting you would get the same range of answers.

Anybody else reminded of the Scopes "monkey trial"? Why the hell did the pageant officials even ask this question? WHY THE HOLY HECK IS THIS QUESTION EVEN BEING ASKED???


>> ^rottenseed:

I call on @bareboards2
She needs to see the real enemies of the women's movement...

There were more "teach evolution" responses than I was expecting to be honest, but what killed me on the majority of them was the whole "kids need to make their own choices" and things of that nature when it came to evolution. As if kids actually have a choice about evolution. Or gravity. Or germs. It's a grab bag folks, believe what you want! I wish all these "I don't believe in evolution!" people would also exorcise their ability to choose their beliefs by jumping off a ladder to show their non-belief in gravity.

They don't have a Mr. USA competition...at least a mainstream one. This is objectification at the highest level and what makes it worse is that they're opening their mouths to either safely pander to the lowest common denominator or to vomit the contents of their professional-beauty-pageant-contestant sized brains.>> ^bareboards2:

Thanks for pointing this out to me, rottenseed.
My mind is just churning now -- I would LOVE to see a map of the US colored in the different "beliefs." The sense I got was the deep South women were the most heavily invested in teaching "the other side."
These were also the women who were chosen to represent their state -- as @NetRunner said, these women gave "safe" answers. I loved the honesty of the one who said "wow, I just made someone mad." Extra points for honesty.
Although I don't see what this has to do with the women's movement, rotty baby. Give me a good looking man from each of these states, I'm betting you would get the same range of answers.
Anybody else reminded of the Scopes "monkey trial"? Why the hell did the pageant officials even ask this question? WHY THE HOLY HECK IS THIS QUESTION EVEN BEING ASKED???

>> ^rottenseed:
I call on @bareboards2
She needs to see the real enemies of the women's movement...

"The highest level"?

I beg to differ.

How about the sex in the shower, currently in the Top 15? That, my friend, is objectification.

Let's agree to disagree. I don't want to argue about this.

>> ^rottenseed:

They don't have a Mr. USA competition...at least a mainstream one. This is objectification at the highest level and what makes it worse is that they're opening their mouths to either safely pander to the lowest common denominator or to vomit the contents of their professional-beauty-pageant-contestant sized brains.>> ^bareboards2:
Thanks for pointing this out to me, rottenseed.
My mind is just churning now -- I would LOVE to see a map of the US colored in the different "beliefs." The sense I got was the deep South women were the most heavily invested in teaching "the other side."
These were also the women who were chosen to represent their state -- as @NetRunner said, these women gave "safe" answers. I loved the honesty of the one who said "wow, I just made someone mad." Extra points for honesty.
Although I don't see what this has to do with the women's movement, rotty baby. Give me a good looking man from each of these states, I'm betting you would get the same range of answers.
Anybody else reminded of the Scopes "monkey trial"? Why the hell did the pageant officials even ask this question? WHY THE HOLY HECK IS THIS QUESTION EVEN BEING ASKED???

>> ^rottenseed:
I call on @bareboards2
She needs to see the real enemies of the women's movement...

*quality stuff.

Boosting this quality contribution up in the Hot Listing - declared quality by geo321.

So, stupid people don't believe in evolution? What a surprise....

Creationism shouldn't be taught in schools for the same reason schools don't cover anything else from the bible. Schools are only supposed to be teaching what is able to be backed by scientific fact and reasoning.

I really believe most of them are pandering to the audience that seriously watches these pageants, not neccessarily the state they are from.

1. I was first taught evolution by my grandpa, then formally in class somewhere in grade school/Jr high. I only heard of creationisim through church, but even as a child I thought it was stupid.

2. Obviously evolution, mythology does not belong in a biology class.

These are the 2011 judges of the pagent. So I guess the girls are telling them what they want to hear... at the best of their capacities.

Question: "Do you think the practice of homosexuality should be taught in schools?"

Answer: "Well, our kids should have as broad an education and understanding of the world as possible, so let's teach both sides, and let the children form their own opinions and decide for themselves."

Ugzzzz...

Don't the schools in the states have classes that teach what we would call here 'Bible Studies'?
We studied "the bible's version" in bible studies class, those of us who studied Biology were obviously taught evolution, there was never a question of 'what is right', one belongs in science studies and one in Bible studies...
I'm as atheist as they come but I still find merit in bible studies, much like I do in the studies of Greek mythology, it's freakin' interesting, and it's a big part of our history like it or not (and I don't).

My point is, I don't understand the question, is creationism taught as some separate class in American schools? Isn't the concept of creationism explained via Bible/New Testament studies?

How did this get here! Bees!

Incidentally, I hadn't even heard of creationism until 2004. Then again, I'm from England, so...

while this has sparked a great dialogue, it should be noted that if you are taking the words of Miss America contestants as anything, anything other than silly things brainless bimbos say, then just die in a fire now

Jesu Christo, I'll never be intimidated by a pretty face ever again.

BWA?

Isn't the question "should intelligent design/creationism be taught in schools?" Would the answers be the same?

All faith in humanity lost. Serves me right for having faith.

I was taught the basics of evolution (survival of the fittest) in high school, and I went to a private Christian school in Mississippi. I never heard of creationism or intelligent design until it was all over the news.

No, it should not be taught. Some potential Miss USAs is proof that Evolution doesn't exist.

>> ^Sagemind:
1. Yes, I was exposed to both theories
2. I believe in evolution. Even as a child, I didn't think we were supposed to take creationism seriously.
Evolution is not a belief system. Creationism is.


Wait? You believe in something that isn't a belief? Lolz, sorry, I know what you mean

Ya know, I don't think it would be so bad to teach kids about religions in social studies classes. Over, say, 2 weeks I think you could cover the major world religions, explaining the basics of their beliefs and touching on their history. It's world culture and it helps to understand other people and their history (not to mention our own).

But I also see how it could turn into an issue of its own. Somewhere a parent will be offended that their beliefs were left out or that they were misrepresented.

What I can't support is teaching religion in science class. Genesis has no scientific basis, no application of the method, so it's got no reason to appear in biology, geology, astronomy or earth science and even less of a reason to appear in any other science.

>> ^rottenseed:

This is objectification at the highest level

I thought objectification was telling hot chicks to shut up and look pretty... maybe make a sandwich. I'd have more respect for this bunch if they had kept quiet. They should take a few minutes to study Abraham Lincoln quotes.

I definitely think that both Evolution and Creationism should be taught in schools.

Evolution should be taught in the context of "how science currently understands all the facts we have so far and how they fit together in a logical progression".

Creationism should be presented in the context of "how religion discourages rational thought and impedes the advance of human knowledge".

>> ^dannym3141:

I don't think the questionnaire will get a good distribution of different people. I've found the sift to be mostly areligious.


wonder if there is a correlation there?

>> ^smooman:

while this has sparked a great dialogue, it should be noted that if you are taking the words of Miss America contestants as anything, anything other than silly things brainless bimbos say, then just die in a fire now


whats scary is that alot, ALOT of politicians sound just like this... or even worse

Gotta keep this short. I'm catching a plane to Massachusetts to propose to a beautiful, brainy girl.

Blow them all up in a big bang and see if creationism can put them back together according to their retarded individual belief systems. Except for Miss California, she's fucking rad.

Getting angry. Temperature rising.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm2kJpkRhKA&feature=related

Evolution is how God set up the system.

i'm currently scrubbing my vagina into oblivion with a brillo pad.

I was taught creationism mostly, but the school heavily referred to both as theories,

we had bing bang THEORY
Theory of evolution (which is still a theory, never proven)
and theory of creationism (which is still a theory, never proven)

so all 3 are equal to me and I've taught it to my children with heavy emphasis that theories are just fancy word for best guess...

not to believe in evolution or whatever until proven

If women want to be taken seriously, they should stop being so stupid.

Then again, I don't judge men by looking at New Jersey Douchebags, so I guess it's an unfair inference.

They're asking the wrong question. Of course science should be taught in schools. The question is should RELIGION be given equal footing.

And in secular schools...heck no. You want to learn religion? go to a priest. You want to learn secular ideas...you go to a school.

It's such a false argument. No one is witholding information or oppressing anyone. It's just another case of religion pretending to be the victim.

Evolution is a fact.........creationism is from the Judeo-Christian myths of the Bible.