No To City Academies |
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| What
is creationism?
Why is it being taught in some Academies? Why shouldn't it be taught? Why doesn't the government stop this? What is creationism?Creationism is the belief that the early books of the bible are literally true. God created the earth in six days about 6,000 years ago. There really was a man called Adam and a woman called Eve made from one of Adam's ribs. A great flood engulfed the whole planet and Noah saved the last remaining humans and animals by putting them in his boat, and so on.Scientists have known for hundreds of years that the earth is much more ancient than this. It is approximately 4,500,000,000 years old. Tracing through ever more ancient layers of rock we can see that life began as individual cells, which became ever more complex, until the rise of modern man about 160,000 years ago. [Top] Why is it being taught in some Academies?It's being taught because Sir Peter Vardy believes it to be true, and he owns three of the City Academies. He has employed headteachers and heads of science departments who share his belief. They have stated these beliefs openly and publicly on many occasions. Several former pupils have come forward to confirm that creationism is indeed taught in Sir Peter's schools.Their attitude cannot be expressed better than in the words of Steven Layfield, former head of science at Emmanual College Gateshead. "Note
every occasion when an evolutionary/old-earth paradigm (millions
or billions of years) is explicitly mentioned or implied by a
text-book, examination question or visitor and courteously point out
the fallibility of the statement and, wherever possible, give the
alternative (always better) Biblical explanation of the same data".
In other words, undermine the science every chance you get. [Top] Why shouldn't it be taught?Why shouldn't we teach that the earth is flat or the moon is made of cheese? These are descredited, ancient myths. The early books of the bible are beautiful, magical, wonderful allegories which describe mankind's relationship with their God. The bible is not a history book or a science text book, it offers a different kind of story.The late Pope John Paul II and the current Archbishop of Caterbury have both denounced creationism. They share this position with every single leading scientist and scientific organisation on the planet. It is as bad theology as it is science. The people of Emmanuel Schools Foundation are welcome to setup schools privately and invite parents to send their children there. What we shouldn't be seeing is public funds used to let them take control of community schools so that they can push their bizarre beliefs on unsuspecting children. [Top] Why doesn't the government stop this?Sir Peter Vardy seems to be on very good terms with Tony Blair. The Prime Minister came and opened one of "his" new schools. In the House of Commons he defended the teaching of creationism on the basis of diversity and choice.You do of course have a choice whether you send your children to the modern, local school, stuffed full of the latest equipment, or whether you bus your children to the comprehensive on the other side of town to avoid those pushing an extreme religious agenda. It's not much of a choice though is it? [Top] |
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