Can I stop a school from teaching my kid about the theory of Evolution?

Question

They are up to the "Origins of Life" section in their High School Biology class. I have demanded that they not teach it but my kid can't afford getting zeros on assignments about this stuff.

Private Schools and Catholic Schools usually teach Evolution.

Answer 1

I won't remark on whether I agree with your desire to exclude evolution from your child's curriculum- that's your business, and perhaps you have a very good reason for believing so. In any event, though I may disagree with your reason, it is a good reason for you. You may seek the advice of a Constitutional/Civil rights attorney if you're serious. he or she may be able to argue effectively that, though parents don't have the right to prevent a school from teaching evolution at all, parents should have the right to opt their children out if they want. This should be protected by your free exercise of religion, guaranteed by the 1st Amendment. To coercivly mandate that your child learn something with which you disagree is not right. Though nearly everyone disagrees with the merits of your belief, I believe that if most of them were in YOUR siutation, they would agree that you should have the freedom to opt your child out. If the government were trying to teach their children something they believed was positively evil, they would want out.

Answer 2

I suppose that if you went to court and got a liberal judge you could stop it if you chose. My question would be why you want to do that. I am a devout Christian but have no problem with having an awareness of other religous beliefs or "Theories" of evolution, reincarnation, or anything else that disagrees with my own thinking. After all, education is about knowing things not necessarily adopting them. A well rounded education includes and understanding of the things you disagree with either casually or vehemnetly. How can anyone argue against the theory of evolution intellingently if they do not know what that theory is? Rather than stop the information I wold allow it and then discuss it with my children so they could see where it differs from what I believe and why.

Answer 3

No you cant! But if you are really not for your child learning this then i would ask the school to remove him from the class and give him different assignments!
After all this is just a Theory! I feel there is no harm in learning it! If you shelter him too much he will never make it in the world! Plus he is going to learn about this at some point in his life!
Good Luck and dont be afraid to let him learn about different theories on Life!
It will only make him a stronger more open minded person that is cappible of making up his own mind!

Answer 4

I think there have been law suits in different places regarding this subject before.

It comes down to what should they teach?
Catholic version of man.
Mormon?
Jewish?
Islamic?
Budist?
None?
Other?

Really who is to say which one is correct?

We all have our own beliefs as to which is correct, and many times some people won't even accept the thought that the others could be right. We really won't know until we die and meet what ever god we beleive in.


I was raised catholic, 12 years of catholic school and church evrey Sunday.

I no longer beleive that. Adam & Eve story.

Personal & logically I believe in evolution, started by God.

You may be able to get your child excused for religous reasons and he/she may have to take some other class to make up the grade.

Talk to the school principle or school board.

Remember Knowlege is power. Do you want to deny your child learning things? If they are in high school, they are certainly old enough to make their own choices, about how life began.

Remember it could backlash, they could become more curious about evolution, because now all their friends are learning this and they are not.

If they truely believe in what ever religion you belong to, they won't change, at least not for now, and maybe never.

Answer 5

Unfortunately you must understand that schools are required by law to teach what is the curriculum, and evolution is one of them.
If you disagree with the information, ( which in my own opinion is subjective and not based on fact but only speculation) you have a duty to your child(ren) to explain your position and then it is up to the child(ren) to make their own informed decision.
Because the United States government does not endorse any one religion, the idea that evolution is wrong in the eyes of a certain belief does not over-rule the "scientific reasoning" of the scholastic venture.
I would hope you see this as a test in which you must face and win, without giving credit to others for dissuading your belief. Stick to your belief, and do not lose heart.
This is one fight that will be won with time, not perseverance for a fight.

Answer 6

Psst! all the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, herbicide and pesticide companies secretly use introduction biology of their study and progression of recent products. in simple terms ask the adult men at Baylor college of medicine or Texas A & M. And the mining and oil agencies secretly use introduction geology collectively as searching for oil, coal and minerals. in simple terms ask any oil exploration adult men. And what precisely are those gaps, Mr Perry? precisely now - imprecise hand waving isn't good adequate and neither are the lies from solutions in Genesis, the invention Institute and comparable lie factories. Can Mr Perry even define organic and organic evolution, or might he choose to no longer, so as that he can continuously flow the goalposts whilst people who've some concept of what they're speaking approximately look like kicking a purpose? Or does he leave all that to his board of training morons?

Answer 7

You can't unless you decide to home-school. Evolution is a scientific theory taught in science class. Creationism is a religious theory and should be taught at home or in religious class.

Your alternative is to teach what you believe, and let the teacher teach what they believe. Remember, both are "theories" and should be taught as such.

The best thing would be to offer your child all the available information and let them draw their own conclusions, rather that only giving them one possibility and shutting them off to other possibilities.

Answer 8

I think that you cannot stop a teacher from teaching what is in the curriculum of that particular school district. What you can do is ask them to excuse your child during a segment that is offensive to you. In my opinion though, if your child is already in HS, I am sure he or she understands your belief system and will not change religions or beliefs if he or she is taught this "theory". Keep in mind, it's only a theory. Education is important for many reasons. Your child can be exposed to all sorts of learning, opinions, thoughts, theories and still have the right to his or her beliefs. If anything, learning everything from psychology, to philosophy to sociology will just make your child more educated and well rounded. Don't fear this "theory".

Answer 9

Actually the "THEORY" of evolution is NOT a fact. It is however the best logical answer supported by tons of evidence. Either way, if you ever want anyone to prove the theory of evolution wrong, they are going to have to first learn about it. If you disagree with it so strongly, I suggest talking to your child after school about what it is you believe and why you believe it.

Answer 10

Yes. There are two ways to do this: 1) Send your child to private school. 2) Homeschool your child.

the flip to it is that if your son/daughter has a strong faith base, it's not a bad idea to understand other peoples' views on how the planet came to be and even other religions. It gives them the knowledge to back up an argument on creationism vs evolution, or for that matter, any reliougous based argument that may "evolve" during his/her lifetime.

Thank you for caring enough to ask this question. It makes me believe you brought him/her up right!