On a national level, the state of Alabama has a horrible reputation for its science standards specified in the Alabama Course of Study: Science (ACOS). The ACOS is used as a foundation for local schools when developing their curriculum. It is my understanding that local school can improve upon the ACOS but must meet the minium requirements specified therein.
According to a state-by-state study of science standards by the Thomas B. Fordam Institute, the state of Alabama received a grade of "F" for our science standards. The study took major points off of Alabama's treatment of one of the cornerstones of modern biology, Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution.
The National Academy of Sciences recently released a new booklet entitled "Science, Evolution, and Creationism." You can listen to or read a free version of this excellent resource by clicking here.
From their website, "This completely updated edition of the landmark booklet Science and Creationism is written for anyone who wants to learn more about the science of evolution. It provides a succinct overview of the many recent advances from the fossil record, molecular biology, and a new field known as evolutionary-developmental biology that have yielded important, new, and overwhelming evidence for evolution. It makes clear that the study of evolution remains one of the most active, robust, and far-reaching fields in all of modern science." .This booklet is a must-read for anyone who cares about the scientific literacy of Alabama children.
At the end of the day I don't care if our students graduate without knowing their fermions from their bosons, their Australopithecus Afarensis from their Homo Habilis or even their Charles Darwin from their Issac Newton. No, the most valuable thing kids can take from our science classes it is that they develop rational, critical thinking skills and the ability to understand how to reason objectively. That will not happen as long as we allow dogma into the science class.
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I just burns me that people want to teach creationism in school. Our forefathers specifically cited the separation of church and state, most of them practicing Christians. Now, I am a Christian, and I love learning about God in church. But I don't want tax payer money going to a class that forces my beliefs on someone else, beliefs that are based on faith for that matter. Science is about facts and theory, not faith. The other issue is that those who want to teach Creationism see the Bible and Evolution as Mutually exclusive when they aren't and don't have to be. God's seven days could have been billions of years to us. Plus, I think if would have freaked John, Paul, and Mary out to know that they were walking around on the bones of giant monsters called dinosaurs. But whatever, you teach creationism, I will teach Pastafarian. Go get them Jim
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