Vardy Hunting 04 - second email to DfES
Created | Updated Mar 17, 2005
Mr Palmer,
Did you actually read my email?
You said:
"As you may be aware, all maintained schools and CTCs must teach religious education to all pupils, unless they have been withdrawn by their parents. There are no plans to change this statutory requirement. However, our guidelines on religious education are quite clear that it should not be designed to convert pupils, or to urge a particular religion or religious belief on pupils. All good schools, and their teachers, make sure this is what happens in religious education. "
That is fine. I have no problem with creationism being taught through the RE department. What I am complaining about is the fact that Emmanuel College Science Department are deliberately setting out to teach Creationism as if it was a genuine scientific alternative to Evolution, Biology, Geology, Cosmology and a whole slew of other basic Scientific facts.
The pupils are being systematically lied to.
You also said:
"Pupils are also encouraged to explore different views, theories and beliefs in many different subjects in the curriculum, using contemporary and historical sources of evidence. This includes science..."
Belief is not part of the Science curriculum. Genuine Science is based solely on evidence, using testable hypotheses and theories. Creationism is a solely faith-based position, which has no grounding in fact or evidence at all.
Then you said:
"Through a balanced study of each theory, pupils can make informed judgements and independent decisions about these issues."
This would a more promising statement, were it not for the fact that the Fundamentalist Christian version of Creation is the only one being promoted through the Emmanuel College Science Department, to the exclusion of all others. Further, in the text of his speech, Mr Layfield gave explicit examples of ways to present the Biblical version of events as Truth, not even as an option that could be considered in the light of all existing evidence.
What are the DfES going to do about it? To whom does one make a written complaint about the inability or reluctance of DfES staff to take action on such a serious matter as this?
This matter must be thoroughly and immediately investigated and steps taken to remove those responsible from their posts.
Sincerely,
Did you actually read my email?
You said:
"As you may be aware, all maintained schools and CTCs must teach religious education to all pupils, unless they have been withdrawn by their parents. There are no plans to change this statutory requirement. However, our guidelines on religious education are quite clear that it should not be designed to convert pupils, or to urge a particular religion or religious belief on pupils. All good schools, and their teachers, make sure this is what happens in religious education. "
That is fine. I have no problem with creationism being taught through the RE department. What I am complaining about is the fact that Emmanuel College Science Department are deliberately setting out to teach Creationism as if it was a genuine scientific alternative to Evolution, Biology, Geology, Cosmology and a whole slew of other basic Scientific facts.
The pupils are being systematically lied to.
You also said:
"Pupils are also encouraged to explore different views, theories and beliefs in many different subjects in the curriculum, using contemporary and historical sources of evidence. This includes science..."
Belief is not part of the Science curriculum. Genuine Science is based solely on evidence, using testable hypotheses and theories. Creationism is a solely faith-based position, which has no grounding in fact or evidence at all.
Then you said:
"Through a balanced study of each theory, pupils can make informed judgements and independent decisions about these issues."
This would a more promising statement, were it not for the fact that the Fundamentalist Christian version of Creation is the only one being promoted through the Emmanuel College Science Department, to the exclusion of all others. Further, in the text of his speech, Mr Layfield gave explicit examples of ways to present the Biblical version of events as Truth, not even as an option that could be considered in the light of all existing evidence.
What are the DfES going to do about it? To whom does one make a written complaint about the inability or reluctance of DfES staff to take action on such a serious matter as this?
This matter must be thoroughly and immediately investigated and steps taken to remove those responsible from their posts.
Sincerely,
