Have to vent....DD just told me this concerning Public School

[RNMOM]

 

[slo]

Originally posted by caitycaity
a 90 on one quiz is NOT a bad grade. i seriously doubt this will affect his chances at college admission.

as for not wanting your child to answer what the teacher wants to hear for them to get good grades, i hope you homeschool. because i can guarantee that no matter if your kids are in public or private school, they are going to have at one teacher who plays that game, and your child will have to decide whether they want the good grades or the satisfaction of standing up for their beliefs.

I have to agree with you on everything you said here - I really can. All I am saying is that to not get a perfect grade on a test because of this one question could really disappoint a child.

No, I am not homeschooling my DD and yes I've been to school and know how some selected teachers can be, but it still doesn't make it right. If my DD came to me with this issue, I couldn't just tell her "Well you still got 90%, that's an A, you'll be fine". I'm not personally in this situation so I can't say "Well I would talk to the teacher or I would go to the schoolboard!!!" you really can't say these things until you are personally involved. All I can say, is I understand why the family is irritated with the school and I would be too.

 

[jimmytammy]

One things for sure, we can all agree to disagree

Now its bedtime for me

 

[caitycaity]

but it still doesn't make it right.

you're right. it's not right. but it is a valuable lesson for kids (especially kids who are older) to learn, i think. some choices in life are not black and white. in life, sometimes we encounter people who are not fair and who are not fun to deal with. in most real life situations, we can't walk away from these people or have our parents deal with them instead.

 

[Mr.MouseFan]

Originally posted by slo
All I am saying is that to not get a perfect grade on a test because of this one question could really disappoint a child.

It would disappoint any child to not get a perfect grade due to one question....whatever question it may be. I'm not putting down religion whatsoever. That being said, this is school we're talking about and school should have nothing to do with religion...only proven scientific facts.

 

[Madi100]

I have a good friend who said something very profound to me. He said that if Christians and scientists would get together and work together to try to figure things out we probably would be a lot further in figuring all of this out. I am a Christian. I have blind faith. I was taught the story of creation, and therefore, I believe the story of creation. So, when I was introduced to evolution, of course, it would be false because I believe in creation. But, what if the two were intertwined together? A previous poster mentioned something about "days" not meaning 24 hours. What if??? We can't seem to do that, though, because Christians work on faith. Scientists need proof. Faith and proof could be considered opposites. So, we sit and stare at each other and tell the other one who they are full of it and wonder how their mind can be filled with such garbage.

As far as the question, I think it was horrible that the question was even considered. Darwin's Theory is just that. You can believe it or not. How would the non-Christians feel if their child came home with a paper with one missed and the question was, "Jesus is the son of God." And, your child marked false because they don't believe in God. I'm willing to bet there'd be a couple phone calls made at your house that night.

 

[caitycaity]

How would the non-Christians feel if their child came home with a paper with one missed and the question was, "Jesus is the son of God." And, your child marked false because they don't believe in God. I'm willing to bet there'd be a couple phone calls made at your house that night.

if my child was at a christian school, i would expect them to answer what they learned in school, i.e. yes, jesus is the son of god.

 

[binny]

I too, think the question was worded incorrectly. It is THEORY nothing more. It cannot be used as fact.

I also believe in what the Bible says is true. "God said it, I believe it, that settles it" thats good enough for me

 

[slo]

Originally posted by caitycaity
you're right. it's not right. but it is a valuable lesson for kids (especially kids who are older) to learn, i think. some choices in life are not black and white. in life, sometimes we encounter people who are not fair and who are not fun to deal with. in most real life situations, we can't walk away from these people or have our parents deal with them instead.

Again, I have to say that I agree with what you are saying here, I guess I just wish they could learn these lessons w/o religion having to be involved, especially in a school setting.

Anyway, it's been an interesting evening talking about this with everybody here - and I hope you all have a good night. Now......I'm off to bed because I'm going on a field trip to the zoo tomorrow with 35 5 & 6 yr olds and I need to get all the rest I can get now . Talk to you all later

 

[DisneyJules]

Originally posted by jennyanydots
In the real world, if you're in science class you have to give the scientific answer, not the religious answer. If you can't accept that, it's better that you're homeschooling.

I strongly agree. And I do believe in God. But from a scientific point of view and can understand why the answer was what it was.

 

[caitycaity]

Now......I'm off to bed because I'm going on a field trip to the zoo tomorrow with 35 5 & 6 yr olds and I need to get all the rest I can get now

oh my gosh, you are a brave soul!!! have fun tomorrow.

 

[slo]

Originally posted by caitycaity
oh my gosh, you are a brave soul!!! have fun tomorrow.

Thanks!!!!

Okay, I'm really going now

 

[LisaSt]

I agree with the answer being marked incorrectly. There is far to many theories out there from both sides but there is also far to many facts from the science side to prove the statement ov the evolutionary chain.

 

[MHopkins2]

Originally posted by katerkat
OK, science classes were a really long time ago for me, but correct me if I'm wrong. I thought the theory of evolution said we share a common ancestor with apes - not that we evolved FROM apes.

*ding* We have a winner! (Finally! Yeesh.)

 

[RachelEllen]

Two things from this thread.

If the question was exactly as stated, then false is the correct answer. Even evolutionary theory states that humans and apes evolved from a common ancestor.

Also, people need to know what 'theory' means in a scientific context before they start using the term. A theory is the highest level of certainty you can gain about a scientific explanation. One of the tenets of modern science is that nothing can be proven absolutely. Certain things, however, we observe. These are facts. Evolution is a fact. You can see it happening on the micro level.

Generalizations and explanations are theories. Natural selection is a theory.

Example:
That lime I see is green- fact
All limes ever seen have been green - fact
All limes are green - theory


There is atomic theory, gravitational theory, etc.


'Evolution is just a theory' is a kind of clever soundbite, but it's not a good way to advance an argument, because it just shows you don't understand what a theory is.

 

[treesinger]

Originally posted by palmtreegirl
She should've just worded the question-

According to the Theory of Evolution did humans evolve from apes?

 

[Nancy]

Originally posted by caitycaity
a 90 on one quiz is NOT a bad grade. i seriously doubt this will affect his chances at college admission.

as for not wanting your child to answer what the teacher wants to hear for them to get good grades, i hope you homeschool. because i can guarantee that no matter if your kids are in public or private school, they are going to have at one teacher who plays that game, and your child will have to decide whether they want the good grades or the satisfaction of standing up for their beliefs.

I agree with this 100%. our schools believe in teaching kids how to deal with the real world on top of their educations....the real worl is not always fair or a very nice place.


And I don't think colleges look at 9th grade transcripts too closely. Don't they pay more attention to the SAT's?

 

[tar heel]

Given that the OP heard this from a child who heard it from her cousin, I have to wonder how the question was worded. I think there's a good chance that is said something like "According to the theory of evolution . . . "

Nancy -- For many, probably most, colleges what classes the student took and the grades made in them are more important than SAT scores.

 

[treesinger]

Originally posted by Madi100
I have a good friend who said something very profound to me. He said that if Christians and scientists would get together and work together to try to figure things out we probably would be a lot further in figuring all of this out. I am a Christian. I have blind faith. I was taught the story of creation, and therefore, I believe the story of creation. So, when I was introduced to evolution, of course, it would be false because I believe in creation. But, what if the two were intertwined together? A previous poster mentioned something about "days" not meaning 24 hours. What if??? We can't seem to do that, though, because Christians work on faith. Scientists need proof. Faith and proof could be considered opposites. So, we sit and stare at each other and tell the other one who they are full of it and wonder how their mind can be filled with such garbage.

As far as the question, I think it was horrible that the question was even considered. Darwin's Theory is just that. You can believe it or not. How would the non-Christians feel if their child came home with a paper with one missed and the question was, "Jesus is the son of God." And, your child marked false because they don't believe in God. I'm willing to bet there'd be a couple phone calls made at your house that night.

Oh, I'm hugging you through this computer Madi!

Beyond the principle of the question being stated as fact even though it is a theory is whether or not it should be asked at all. I have no doubt that the non-believers in this thread would be taken aback if their child got the "Jesus" question on their test. It's less about the grade and more about the principle. School is about LEARNING, not INDOCTRINATING. If there is no specific unadulterated proof about the origin of man, then ALL of the more common beliefs about the origin of man must be presented in their theoretical state. For the school to teach that "Men come from apes", or, "men come from God's image" does a disservice to the term "theory". Neither is established as fact and neither should be presented as such.

However, if you want to BELIEVE in either viewpoint, it is entirely up to you to choose that. The school shouldn't touch beliefs except in a comparative analysis.

 

[treesinger]

Originally posted by caitycaity
if my child was at a christian school, i would expect them to answer what they learned in school, i.e. yes, jesus is the son of god.

Does this mean that public schools have a duty to indoctrinate students to be irreligious the same way that Chiristian schools infuse the curriculum with their faith?