Were you taught both evolution and creationism in school?

Question

I am now 32 and when I was in 7th grade (1987-88), I was taught both the theory of evolution and the theory of creation. At the time, I did not think that there was anything significant about the teaching of both of these ideas, but now I realize that it may have been unusual. So I am curious whether this happened to many others. If you were taught both evolution and creationism, please tell me what year it was (guess if you can't be 100% sure) and what city and state. By way of explanation, I am fascinated by the "fight" between evolution and creationism. Thanks.

Allow me to clarify something.....I meant that I was taught both evolution and creationism in my science class, as opposed to learning evolution in science and creationism in english or religion or whatever.

Oh, and when I use the word theory, I am using it in a loose sense, not the more rigid sense.

Answer 1

I was taught evolution in high school. I attended high school at a small east-central Illinois high school and graduated in 1978. My parents believed that creationism was laughable, so I'm not sure where I learned about creationism.

I don't think the fight is about evolution vs creationism, although most people would say it is. I think the fight is about who is responsible for what our kids learn. Even though the fight over evolution vs creationism has seemingly waned, the fight over whether to expose our children to homosexual teachers (for example) is just beginning, and in my opinion, still a fight over what our kids are exposed to, and whose responsibility it is to determine that.

As for evolution vs creationism, in my opinion....

IF evolution is correct, then it doesn't necessarily preclude creationism, it just forces creationists to accept that they may not fully understand their theory.

IF the creationists are correct, and science shows us evolution, then we must conclude that both creationism and evolution are somehow the same thing, and that we as people, witnessed creation, via evolution.

Answer 2

I went to Catholic school in Canada, graduating from high school in 1987.

Because I went to Catholic school, there was no teaching of Creationism in any class (science or religion). Catholicism has long maintained that there is no contradiction between the science of evolutionary biology and the allegorical tale of Genesis.

However, because I went to school in Alberta, Canada, the craven school curriculum has long sought to avoid controversy by avoiding the subject entirely, and so does not even so much as mention the word evolution until Biology 20 (in Grade 11). So unless you deliberately go into the biology stream, you can quite easily go through your entire school career without ever hearing about evolution.

Answer 3

I was never explicitly taught either in school. My public school science education was pretty pathetic. In retrospect, most of my science teachers probably had little to no science background, so it was strictly by-the-book facts and figures. My biology class involved rote memorization of taxonomy and different processes, with no overarching theme of how it all came to be. I think the idea at the time was to be tight-lipped about all matters that might cause a stir. As an adult, I see that the controversy is a childish attack by the religious right to encroach on all things science, and it makes me angry because it's the students who suffer the consequences, which breeds a future population of ignorant, closed-minded adults with no sense of wonder about the world. I started high school in Florida in '96.

Answer 4

I was homeschooled, taught creationsim...later realized the error of it all.
I'm recently into college ("real college," not "Christian Science" college), so my education in creationism ran up to just a few years ago. I doubt this helps...

At the time you were learning this, some laws had been bouncing around on the matter. Interesting stuff, check out:
Scientists Confront Creationism, Laurie Godfrey, ed., this book has some essays on the matter.

Answer 5

I was taught neither one. i learned both on my own.

In college, I took a Philosophy of Science course that taught a hybrid of the two beliefs called, in some circles, theistic evolution.

I never use any of this in my daily life, so I wounder why some people get all excited one way or the other when one is taught. Knowing about evolution, for example, does not make one a better doctor or a lawyer.

Answer 6

No, thankfully not. As it was, I got thoroughly bombarded with creationist rhetoric at home and at church. At the time, in elementary school I felt somewhat defensive, given my upbringing. In reality, I didn't want to face the implications of accepting an explanation other than that offered by Genesis.

But...by age 13 or 14, I couldn't really argue for creation with a straight face anymore. At 33, I find life all the richer for seeing the context in which the life around us came to be.

Answer 7

First off Creationism isn't a theory, it's a hypothesis at best. Second, yes, I was taught evolution in science class and creationism in anthropology and mythology class. I graduated HS in 2000 in Seattle WA.

Answer 8

I'm a junior in high school right now and I have not been taught anything about creationism in school. It's because of the separation between church and state. Also, schools teach facts, educated theories, and ideas. Creationism doesn't have much evidence to back it up compared to evolutionism.

Answer 9

I was not taught evolution until I was in college in 1969; not mentioned in my small central Illinois high school.

I was taught creation in Sunday School at my church in the 50s, gee I'm old, so I know the Biblical view but it is not my view.

Answer 10

I went to a Christian high school, so I was taught about "God", though I am still a non-believer.