In the comments section of the BBC article, Your views on school sponsorship a teacher from the King's Academy in Middlesbrough, attempts to defend the practice of handing state schools over to rich businessmen with agendas. This is my reply to him. (June 06)
<teacher> Please would everyone stop banging on about Vardy-sponsored schools and creationism. It is a non-issue.
<reply> In America, there have been numerous attempts by creationists to interfere with the teaching of evolution in state schools, & only 6 months ago, they suffered a major court defeat at Dover Pennsylvania. There have also been numerous reports from other countries (e.g. Turkey, Australia) of similar interference. In this country, hardly a week seems to go by without some report on the issue. Only this week there has been controversy over the Australian creationist John Mackay & his attempts to gain access to schools in the Blackpool area. The situation with Vardy may just look like a minor local problem, but it is obvious on examination that it is closely connected with a general upsurge in creationist backed attacks on our educational system.
<reply> Furthermore, the Vardy Foundation & its management have repeatedly publicised their creationists beliefs as well as their dissatisfaction with modern science & modern society. What is worse is that they have also published their intention to exert their influence where it has the potential to do the most damage – by indoctrinating other people’s children with their absurd beliefs.
<reply> Creationism has recently been condemned by leading scientists, senior members of the Church & the Royal society - & you think it is a non-issue!
<teacher> In my school, The King's Academy in Middlesbrough, very few if any of the science teachers even believe that the earth is less than 10,000 years old.
<reply> No, but I bet that is only because they had trouble recruiting creationist ones. However that does not change the fact that management have made constant reference to their antagonism to modern science & like in any other organisation, these views will be influential in shaping the attitudes & beliefs of the whole school & its teachers.
<teacher> If they suggest to students that there are sane, intelligent people (scientists, even) that believe in a 'young earth', then that can only be a good thing.
<reply> (Note – this sounds like a creationist talking) Otherwise sane & intelligent people believe all sorts of stupid things (for example astrology); that however is absolutely no excuse for encouraging other people's children (possibly against their parents wishes) to also believe the same stupid things. If David Beckham believed that the moon was made of cheese, would anyone think it was a, "good thing" to mention that to a class full of young impressionable football supporters?
<teacher> Too often children (and adults) are led to believe that current scientific understanding is infallible.
<reply> Where in the science curriculum that you are *supposed* to be teaching the pupils, does it say that the current scientific understanding is infallible? The key stage 4 science curriculum for example, makes many references to such things as controversies & the limits of science. Moreover, few if any scientists would ever claim that current scientific understanding is infallible or immune to revision. As for the press, on the contrary, they are only too keen to sensationalise controversies over for example, "Frankenstein foods", which tends to have the effect of undermining people’s confidence in science. They have also contributed to the problems with creationists by refusing to properly report these issues at a local level & giving the false impression that there is some sort of genuine scientific controversy surrounding intelligent design creationism, when in reality there isn’t.
<reply> Creationists have the problem of concealing their true & extreme hostility to modern society & modern science. They have strong views on these subjects but are forced to water them down. In America, because they fall foul of laws upholding separation of Church & State, & in the UK there would be too much of an outcry. They are hostile to any science that contradicts their religious beliefs, especially the theory of evolution. However, in the UK they know they cannot ban it or teach their pet creationist views in its place because that would be contrary to the curriculum & provoke counteraction. They are therefore forced to be subtle using the language of Teach the Controversy to undermine a people’s confidence (especially that of the children they are teaching) in these scientific theories by claiming they are controversial or require critically thinking about or claiming there are other alternative explanations, when in fact there are none. Note the language being used here by this teacher; its hostility to science is very apparent & it is being concealed behind the pretence of apparent liberal open mindedness – the very antithesis of everything creationism represents. How utterly dishonest.
<teacher> As a geography teacher, one of the key things I hope to encourage in my students is to develop a degree of healthy cynicism about what people (especially the media!) sell them as being the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
<reply> You are supposed to be teaching the pupils geography, not indoctrinating them with your extremely biased opinions of the, “truth". As for cynicism of the media, then you could always point out how utterly biased the local press have been in their reporting of this issue, incessantly issuing glowing reports on the Vardy Foundation but hardly any of the strident criticism from their opponents (including many leading scientists). This constitutes censorship by omission.
<reply> The truth is that state schools in a largely secular society are being taken over by religious fanatics, who have publicly advertised their extremist beliefs & goals far & wide. Not only have they openly stated their goals they have also implemented them. That is the, "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth", but listening to you, I somehow doubt that that is what you want your pupils to hear.
<teacher> The King's Academy is a good school, well managed, forward-thinking,
<reply> How can a school based around the belief that a 2000-year-old book should dictate modern thinking, ever be described as, "forward-thinking"!
<teacher> with dedicated teaching staff.
<reply> All schools should have dedicated staff, not just those run for the benefit of religious organisations.
<teacher> Sir Peter is a well-meaning old-fashioned philanthropist who simply wants to use some of the wealth he feels God has blessed him with for good.
<reply> Then in that case he should donate his money to education without attaching strings.
<teacher> He certainly is not in the business of wanting to brain-wash young people with young-earth creationism.
<reply> Well then why does he employ so many people in senior positions who clearly do believe in creationism (be it young earth, or otherwise)? People who incidentally who have made crystal-clear their intentions to preach their fundamentalist views to other people's children.
<reply> And if I keep on banging on about, "other people's children", then that is to remind you that that is what they are. They are not Peter Vardy's children: they are the children of people who could be atheists, agnostics or simply indifferent to religion, as much as they could be religious. Are these people considered by you to be second-class citizens or something? Are you really so arrogant that you & your fellow creationists (don't bother denying it) feel you have some God-given right to ride roughshod over their beliefs, frightening their children with all this psychopathic nonsense about hell-fire, teaching them negative views about homosexuals, undermining their belief in the scientific method & all the other nonsense that goes with creationism? These people have very little choice but to send their children to these schools & the children should be taught in an environment free from any religious or political bias.
<teacher> Essentially he believes that modern society would be improved if (1) children are disciplined effectively but lovingly, so that they learn about boundaries and consequences;
<reply> This is a complete misrepresentation of the facts. He may believe this, but reading between the lines of the evasive bluster that he feeds the press with, it is quite clear the Peter Vardy is a creationist whose personal views are extremely antagonistic to modern science & modern society, which he would prefer to see run along biblical lines. These views are by any standard extreme & it is therefore just straightforward deception to spin them into the portrayal above. Then again, what do you expect from a creationist.
<reply> Furthermore, many people believe in good discipline, but you do not have to have strong religious opinions to do so & there is absolutely no reason why effective discipline cannot be delivered within a secular setting untainted by this person or that person's personal religious beliefs. Of course many secular state schools do maintain effect discipline; however, this is not a viewpoint expressed by those (example Vardy & his little gang, Edmiston & his little gang) wishing to push YEC onto other people's children, because they have a policy of consistently denigrating the efforts of non-religious state schools.
<teacher> (2) children realise that they were "wonderfully made" for a good purpose (Psalm 139).
<reply> Children are the product of evolution & I personally do not think it helps anyone to claim otherwise.
<reply> So, in summary, what PV *really* wants to do is preach *his* religious & right wing political views to an impressionable captive audience of children. (1) & (2) are just his rationalizations & excuses for doing so.
<teacher> Whether or not you agree with the Christian basis from which he is coming at things, surely very few people would suggest that the effective communication of these two ideas to children is a bad thing?
<reply> No, I doubt that many people would disagree with the principle of instilling a sense of discipline into children or promoting their self-esteem; however, this is something that can be achieved without ever once having to mention Peter Vardy's personal religious views.
Alan.
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