Cambrian Explosion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cambrian Explosion - Essay Example New York State has already gained the significant results of teaching about evolution presently. David Campbell, a teacher in Florida, says that it is for the first time that the Department of Education has modified the standards of teaching evolution in public schools. And calls it, "the organizing principle of life science." But it has been noted that the science teachers all over America are finding it difficult to turn a "culture war into a lesson plan." As per the education experts, even as recently as three years ago, the American public schools have been giving very short shrift to evolution. The poor treatment of evolution can be seen reflected in the creationist beliefs of students. Recently in 2000, Thomas B, Fordham Foundation evaluated the evolution education standards in public schools in all 50 states which was really disappointing. Florida among 12 states receives F grade. But with time it can be seen that now the students have an idea related to evidence of evolutionary change which is an achievement in itself. In 2006 the bills changed and attempted to alter public school science curricula introduced in New York, Alabama, South California, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Indiana and several others. And "only seven states including New York and California got A, with 12 receiving a B, and 8 plus the District of Columbia receiving a C. Seven states got a D, and 15 got an F. Iowa was not included in the report because it does not set standards for any subject." So, New York undoubtedly ranks high on the grounds of teaching of evolution in public schools. Campbell lastly concludes that, "if he forced them look at themselves in the evolutionary mirror, he risked alienating then entirely." 2. What is the difference between science & belief Theory & story David Campbell remarks that in a nation with evangelical Protestantism and various other religious traditions that stress on biblical readings and believe in God as supreme creator of every species, it is obvious that students will fear evolution and even science. They might consider science as a belief which is hostile to their faith. The subject of evolutionary science is considered fraught by the students who are taught right from their tender years to believe that God has created man uniquely in His own form. And when Florida's science standards came out Campbell saw that the students studied science in disbelief. He also mentioned that "Faith is not based in science" and "science is not based on faith". He also stated that he doesn't expect that the students should believe the scientific explanation of evolution but to start forming a base he concluded that he expects then "to understand it". The basic confusion of the word "science" being related to "theory" and "belief" arises from the everyday changing meaning of the word and their usage in science. One of the misconceptions is that, "Theories become facts when they are well supported and/or proven." It is so because with time if any contradictory evidence turns up, the theory might be reevaluated or even abandoned. And then it is not science but only a story which is not believed any more. ................. supported and/or