Is evolution not taught in schools in the USA? (serious question)?

Question

I ask because of the many question and answers I have seen here on this forum. I find it strange that so many question evolution and it's scientific basis. It almost seems as if people in the USA have been taught that creation thoery to be fact.

Here in the uk, it's a given that evolution is fact. And many christians and holy people also take this as fact. Here it isn't a question of evolution V creation. Both have a place in the minds of people and do not seem to clash. I am a scientist, and some of my coleagues are devout christians and they don't seem to question it. They just accept that evolution is fact yet god also created life.

Theophilus: yes that is correct. Religious education here is learning about all religions. Christian, jewish, muslim, hindu etc etc. They do not read scrptures although they do learn about the biblical stories, samson and delila, jonah and the whale etc etc, but it is not taught as fact.

Wow! I am stunned, and actually saddened. Especially about the student sabotaging an experiment on evolution.

I am so glad that I live in a country that doesn't try to stiffle education because of what the bible says. And quite ironic really, as the US is a secular state and the UK a christian one.

Thanks all for your answers.

Answer 1

When I was in school in the 90s we were taught that there is a theory of evolution, but the school had to spend equal time teaching evolution and creation. Yes it was a public school but its in a small town that is conservative, christian, and not so well-educated. We also prayed before football games and before lunch.

Nowadays evolution is being taught in schools but creation is not. That is what I hear from my boyfriends kids.

Answer 2

I argued that both "theories" need to be taught in public schools for my argumentative paper in college. You may take evolution as fact but it has NOT been proven and is still a theory. Because America was originally founded by those who wished to escape the yoke of organized religion in Europe, the founding fathers made sure that religion would not rule but secularism. Many have taken this to mean that the government cant teach any religion, but if you look at American history at most schools the Bible was the only book.
Evolution is also being taught as fact here in America. Does this preclude that a divine created started the process, which if you read how evolution is supposed to have happened it exactly parallels the events prescribed in the Bible in Genesis. First Heavens and Earth... fish, then mammals, then man. read it for yourself as see the parallels. Both should be being taught as theories and let the individual decide for themselves and I don't mean just Christianity but all religion even the religion of atheism.

Answer 3

That is all that is taught in school now evolution. Back in the 70's they taught creation but they stopped. And their is a debate now whether or not to bring it back. But since it's about god they might have to teach all of the other religions and how god/s created life. And that brings up conflict in school because some parents believe that if creation is brought back up in schools, it would seem that they're forcing religion on kids.

Whether it be Catholic, Christianity, Islamic or Buddhism.

Answer 4

I taught at a Catholic school in the Midwest. Evolution was part of the science curriculum. Most of my students seemed to believe, as I do, that God used evolution as his tool to shape and change the world.

Public schools definitely teach evolution if the subject is studied at all. They're not allowed to teach creationism or intelligent design.

I don't know what's taught in fundamentalist Christian schools, but I would imagine it's pure creationism.

Answer 5

"Here in the uk, it's a given that evolution is fact."

Good job, from an American. You guys really have the States beat on this issue.

You're right: The majority of people in the United States believe that Biblical creationism is a fact. Only a small percentage of people believe that evolution happened. That's due to the overwhelming Christian influence in this country, and it's one of the biggest problems that I have with religion. Here they have Christian TV networks where they literally run ads that say "Evolution is a lie. Don't believe it. Read the Bible." I know, it's ridiculous.

Answer 6

There have been efforts to try to restrict teaching evolution and to inculcate Intelligent Design into public school curricula.

Earlier this year a Federal judge in Pennsylvania ruled that Intelligent Design is a religious doctrine, not a scientific theory, and that it could not be taught in schools. This is now pretty much the law in the land.

However, 2 things are happening. Children from fundamentalist families are sometimes challenging biology teachers during the evolution discussion, making it difficult or impossible to teach the subject. And there are some school boards who are quietly hiring biology teachers who are willing to forgo the evolution discussion in biology class.

Answer 7

It depends on the school system. When I took biology back in the 90's, my biology teacher refused to teach it as he did not believe in it. In my senior year I took an advanced course in biology at a jr college and learned alot about evolution. I think it SHOULD be taught. One doesn't necessarily have to believe in the teachings but students should be exposed to the theory of evolution. If they go to college they WILL be exposed to it, and if they are not taught about it in high school they will be at a disadvantage.

Answer 8

In my school (I'm a teacher) evolution is taught in science classes. In my history classes we discuss the history of the earth (4.2 billion years or so) as if the scientific version of events were true.

We also discuss myths, such as the numerous creation myths (including the Genesis myth) that exist in so many cultures. Our focus is not whether these myths are literally true - because getting bogged down in the literalism of allegorical stories leads one to miss the point of the whole thing - but rather what these stories MEANT to the people who told them. In this way, I think teachers can do a pretty decent job of introducing their students to the various origins of humankind: physical, evolutionary, spiritual, cultural, etc.

Answer 9

Evolution is taught as science in american public schools, it can be treated differently in private schools.
There is a movement led by fundamentalist christians to discredit evolution and get repackaged creationism (intelligent design) into public schools as a science with very limited success.
The fundamentalists are still a minority simply quite vocal. For the majority of us Evolution remains a fact of life, even if "just a theory".

Answer 10

Evolution is a fact-no matter what some else says-there is scientific data to prove it-some people are just plain ignorant to the facts of life and I am a spiritual person -why can't people just accept it.But I do feel rather sorry for children in Kansas who have actually had the evolution theory taken out of school-what kind of sh*t is that about -makes me less proud to be here under this current administration---peace and love to all---Happy Holidays