stand up for REAL science

I have been teaching teenagers using Biology as my medium for about nine years. Over that time period, I have gradually lost touch with the younger generation. I have trouble making sense out of both "txt spk" and "LOLspeak." I barely know Kanye West from Key West. I find myself having to visit the NetLingo website more and more often.

I'm an out-of-touch old person. (gasp!)

Of course I knew it would happen. All teachers eventually reach the point where they are no longer able to understand or appreciate the fashion, music, and social predilections of the students they work with. In particular, my knowledge of acceptable slang is no longer up-to-date.

The other day, I proved this sad fact to myself and some of my students. We were outside tagging monarch butterflies for the Monarch Watch, when I described the experience of netting a previously tagged monarch as "da bomb." The students laughed and assured me that, "Nobody says that anymore."

How does this story relate to the content of this blog?

Find out below the fold.

Recently, the Brunswick County School Board in North Carolina had a lively discussion about a curriculum issue. The Board members unanimously expressed their support for the teaching of an alternative explanation alongside evolution in science classes.

What exactly were they talking about?

According to reports, the Brunswick County School Board members were all talking about good old "Creationism." From the StarNewsOnline article linked above:

"It's really a disgrace for the state school board to impose evolution on our students without teaching creationism," county school board member Jimmy Hobbs said at Tuesday's meeting. "The law says we can't have Bibles in schools, but we can have evolution, of the atheists."

So whatever happened to "Intelligent Design?"

I guess nobody says that anymore.