Creationism, oops, Intelligent Design in the classroom

I find the classroom of a school to be no place for the discussion of creationism or intelligent design or what have you. How lazy are parents these days when they try to force schools to not only teach their children, but in addition babysit, discipline, and - most germaine to this discussion - convey to their children their values and beliefs. Religion or other beliefr systems are not the purview of the schools, they are the purview of the parents. I don't mind whatever parents wish to teach their children about their values and beliefs... but if they abdicate that responsibility to someone else, they also, in my view, abdicate the right to choose the values and beliefs taught.

The fact that remains however that in some places groups of parents either have such an enhanced view of their own importance that they feel they can dictate what beliefs others can and should hold in addition to teaching them to their children, or, in spite of abdicating their duty and responsibility to convey their beliefs and values to their children still insist on having others teach their children their beliefs and values and still think they should get to choose which beliefs and values those are. Still others find their beliefs and values in conflict with scientific viewpoints and try to force others to see a conflicting dichotomy. In any case these persons sometimes try to force their beliefs, whether in the guise of creationism or intelligent design, or whatever else they might call it, into the school system. And not only into the school system but into the science classroom rather than a class on society, culture or religion.

Taking a cue from my conversation with the stubborn person related in my previous post, perhaps, once again, arguing is the wrong way to go about seeking a solution. Perhaps we could let them be right.

They often demand that time be given in science class for equal discussion of all theories of of the origins of the universe and existence - specifically creationism/intelligent design in addition to evolution. Let's do so. Of course when presenting creationism/intelligent design we, for fairness sake, must present all component subtheories it comprises - i.e. creationism/intelligent design as seen by Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Native Americans, the Aborigines of Australia, and so on until all competing theories have been given equal presentation. This would be a wonderful opportunity for an essays by the students comparing and contrasting different theories, discussing evidence supporting each theory, discussing which theories are in conflict with other theories and which are not... in other words a stellar opportunity for exercising the most vital skill in the modern world and the one which it is most vital for schools to teach above all others including reading, writing and arithmetic - Critical Thinking.

Just a thought as I sit here trying to solve the world's problems and dreaming of better tomorrows.