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Thursday, July 03, 2008

Humanists “appalled” that creationism taught in 40 UK schools

Humanists “appalled” that creationism taught in 40 UK schools

The British Humanist Association (BHA) has reacted to news that there are at least 40 schools in Britain which teach creationism in science lessons. The figures were revealed in a report broadcast on More 4 News on Tuesday, and are the result of inquiries made to 50 Evangelical, Jewish and Muslim schools.

Andrew Copson, BHA Director of Education and Public Affairs said:

“It is appalling that there are thousands of children in Britain who are being taught that evolution is a myth and creationism a fact. It is even worse that almost 1,000 of those children attend schools funded by taxpayers, which teach creationism despite national guidance that it has no place in the science classroom. We are glad that the government is currently producing new guidance on how to deal with creationism in schools but it is crucial that school inspectors are also trained to check faith schools rigorously for the teaching of creationism or intelligent design.”

The BHA has written to the Education Minister Ed Balls, urging greater effort in promoting good science education in all schools.

For more information please contact the British Humanist Association on 020 2079 3584 or 07855 380 633.

Notes to Editors:

The report broadcast on More 4 News on Tuesday 2 July 2008 found that:

14 of the 19 Jewish schools that responded teach creationism .

All 21 of the Evangelical schools following the Accelerated Christian Education syllabus that responded teach creationism.

5 of the 10 Islamic schools that responded teach creationism.

In all there are 5,822 pupils in the schools teaching creationism mentioned in the report. Of these, 992 are in one of the 5 state schools that admitted teaching creationism.

2 comments:

  1. I feel so sorry for humnists and atheists. Their 'religion' is losing ground because of the public's awareness of the lack of relaity in the evolutionary hypotheses.
    It just cannot work. No matter how many billions of years they alow for, curretly up to 14 billion, it still does not work.
    The fact is, atheists and humanists are not people who don't believe in God and creation. They are people who do not want to believe in God and creation. There is a difference.

    But one day they will kow the truth, but by then it will be too late to do anything about it.

    By the way, just on the off chance they are right, it won't matter for Christians. We will have a great life, had a lot of fun. If there is nothing after deah, it won't matter. But if there is, as we believe, then humanists and atheists will lose out, big time.

    Oh, just a final thought. Evolution is unscientific. It ails the defintion of science in all respects. Sorry folks, but that is the reality.

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  2. Salaam

    London School of Islamics is an educational Trust. Its aim is to make
    British public, institutions and media aware of the needs and demands of the
    Muslim community in the field of education and possible solutions.

    Slough Islamic school Trust Slough had a seminar on Muslim
    education and schools in Thames Valley Atheltic Centre. The seminar was
    addressed by the education spokesman of MCB. I could not attend the seminar
    but I believe lot of Muslims from Slough and surrounding areas must have
    attended. Very soon, the Muslims of Slough will have a state funded Muslim
    school but there is a need for more schools. A day will come when all Muslim
    children will attend state funded Muslim schools with bilingual Muslim
    teachers as role model.

    Muslim schools are not only faith schools but they are more or less
    bilingual schools.

    Bilingual Muslim children need to learn standard English to follow the
    National Curriculum and go for higher studies and research to serve
    humanity. They need to be well versed in Arabic to recite and understand the
    Holy Quran. They need to be well versed in Urdu and other community
    languages to keep in touch with their cultural roots and enjoy the beauty of
    their literature and poetry.

    Bilingualism is an asset but the British schooling regards it as a
    problem. A Muslim is a citizen of this tiny global village. He/she does not
    want to become notoriously monolingual Brit. Pakistan is only seven hours
    from London and majority of British Muslims are from Pakistan.

    More than third of British Muslim have no qualifications. British school
    system has been failing large number of Muslims children for the last 60
    years. Muslim scholars see the pursuit of knowledge as a duty, with the
    Quran containing several verses to the rewards of learning. 33% of British
    Muslims of working age have no qualifications and Muslims are also the least
    likely to have degrees or equivalent qualifications. Most of estimated
    500,000 Muslim school-aged pupils in England and Wales are educated in the
    state system with non-Muslim monolingual teachers. Majority of them are
    underachievers because they are at a wrong place at a wrong time.

    Bilingual Muslim children need state funded Muslim schools with bilingual
    Muslim teachers during their developmental periods. There is no place for a
    non-Muslim child or a teacher in a Muslim school. As far as higher education
    is concerned, Muslim students can be educated with others. Let Muslim
    community educate its own children so that they can develop their own
    Islamic, cultural and linguistic identities and become usefull members of
    the British society rather than becoming a buden.

    We are living in an English speaking country and English is an
    international language, therefore, we want our children to learn and be well
    versed in standard English and at the same time well versed in Arabic, Urdu
    and other community languages. Is there anything wrong with this approach?

    It is not only the Muslim community who would like to send their children to
    Muslim school. Sikh and Hindu communities have started setting up their
    schools. Last week. British Black Community has planned the first all black
    school with Black teachers in Birmingham.

    Scotland's first state funded Muslim school could get the go-ahead within
    months after First Munister Alex Salmond declared he was sympathetic towards
    the needs and demands of the Muslim community.

    Iftikhar Ahmad
    London School of Islamics Trust
    www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk

    ReplyDelete