Teaching evolution in schools is a highly debated issue between science and religion. In Kansas, the State Board of Education has decided to de-emphasize evolution in favor of the creation story. Throughout the science community, it is believed that evolution should be taught in school because of all the scientific evidence that points to the validity of evolution and because it is a cornerstone of biology. Most all other states emphasize the importance of evolution, as do most colleges. In the religious community, evolution is considered to be totally false, because it contradicts the Bibles creation story. Both sides must be taken into account when deciding upon whether or not evolution should be taught in schools.
Not teaching evolution in schools, like in Kansas, will place students who plan to advance in science fields at a disadvantage. Evolution is a theory that can not be ignored for further scientific learning but can other theories be ignored, like the creation story. Evolution is the cornerstone of Biology and a foundation for many scientific theories. Most scientists hold strong to the belief that evolution is the creation story of humans, and this is evident by scientific studies. The evolutionists believe that humans were created the same way as every other living organism in the world, through a slow process of evolutions. One of their leading beliefs of evolution is that humans are derived from primates, and this is evident by humans similarities to primates.
Humans and primates both have short faces, overlapping visual fields, grasping hands, large brains and some scientists even argue alertness and curiosity. It is possible to communicate with some types of primates with the use sign language because primates are highly intelligent mammals. The main question posed by this theory is how and why did the primates and humans end up being different. Evolutionists believe that the evolution from humans to primates is explained by the descent from tree habitats of primates to forest floors and eventually to more open country. This is associated with the development of many of the unique features of the human primate, including erect posture and reduced canine teeth, which suggest new habits of feeding. Students who attend schools in which evolution is de-emphasized will have problems with further education. Students will lack the knowledge about evolution like the things stated above.
This will penalize them when they take standardized tests, like the SATs. These tests hold a lot of ground in placing students in colleges. If a student does not do well in a certain part of the test, like biology, they might not get into the school of their choice. Not teaching evolution will greatly hamper any students ability to attend the college of their choice and therefore they are on unlevel playing fields with the rest of the country. Those who believe in the creation story think that the Bible is a holy book that outlines the creation of man from the word of God. Creationists believe that God created man according to the bible not the evolution of different life forms.
Since many people have religions based on the Bible, especially in small rural areas like Kansas, it would seem fitting to teach creation in schools or at least teach that a god created humans. Many creationists believe that it is unfair to use their tax dollars to teach their children a false belief that goes against the word of God. They also believe that is unfair for the school systems to assume that if creationists want their children to learn about creation and unlearn about evolution that it should be done at home or out of school. After all evolution is just a theory, shouldnt children be taught other theories like the creation story. Is it fair that these children will be penalized because of their religious beliefs? Even more do children need something to put faith in more then they need to learn biology. They (children) do need a sense of basic trust, a feeling not only that their fundamental bodily needs will be met and that their parents love them and will take care of them, but also that they have not been abandoned to the empty haphazardness of existence (Presence of Others 189).
Not teaching evolution in schools will greatly punish those, who do not learn it, in further education. Evolution is a theory that is the cornerstone of biology.
Evolution is just a theory, though, so is teaching evolution exclusively the correct thing to do. This has been debated before and is continuing to be debated today but is it truly possibly to determine how humans were created?